None to help Draupadi in world of Duryodhans: Karnataka High Court on public beating, stripping of woman

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday expressed strong anguish over the ordeal that a 42-year-old woman in a Belgavi village had to go through when she was tied to a pole, publicly beaten and partially stripped after her son eloped with another girl from the same village. .A bench of Chief Justice PB Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit also questioned why the police were not more prompt to come to the aid of the victim woman and how such an incident could have been allowed to happen in the first place.."I have no words. Look at the trauma that lady might have gone through. Two hours, she was dragged from her house, stripped, beaten like an animal. At 3.30 (AM) the police reached, at 1 o'clock she was dragged from her house. Are they (assailants) human beings? Even animals have some sense. Is this the way human beings behave? For two hours she was beaten by animals.. I am ashamed to call them as humans. How can someone be so cruel, so inhuman? We know you (State) are taking the things with all seriousness, but look at this!" the Chief Justice remarked today. "Why was it allowed to happened? Why there was no policing? It (police work) is not only investigative, it is also preventive," Justice Dixit added. .The Court further noted that the police should have been on guard against such incidents. The news of a couple eloping would have spread like wildfire in a small village and the police at Belgavi district could have stepped up to warn the villagers against any untoward reactions, the Court opined. .The incident in focus took place pre-dawn on Monday (December 11) after the victim woman's son eloped with a girl from the same village, whose marriage had been fixed with another man.The 42-year-old woman is said to have been tied to a pole, beaten, stripped and paraded in the village after the girl's relatives came to know that she had run away from home.Police officers are said to have rushed to the spot to rescue the woman, after a villager tipped off the authorities.The High Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident on December 12.."I am very to say, this (the December 11 incident) displays a deep-rooted male chauvinism. Only because they are male they can just behave with a lady brutally? Is it only because he is a male, he gets the licence to behave inhumanely with a lady? Is it not the fault with the psyche?" the Chief Justice remarked today, after the suo motu case was taken up. .The Chief Justice added that this problem with the male psyche is also seen in poetic verses authored by Sahir Ludhiani, which says, "Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko, Mardon ne use bazaar diya Jab dil chaaha masla-kuchla, Jab ji chaaha dhutkaar diya, (translation: Woman gave birth to men, and men gave her the marketplace, to crush and trample at will, to reject and cast off at will)"."What other women in the village would feel? Any sensible woman will have fear, she would start hating this country, and justifiably. This did not happen even in Mahabharata when Draupadi was disrobed. It (this incident) is much, much more heinous than that," Justice Dixit weighed in."And fortunately, brother, there was Lord Sri Krishna to help Draupadi. In this modern era, who is to help poor Draupadi? No Krishna will come to help! When Draupadi wailed and cried for help, Lord Sri Krishna helped her. Unfortunately, this is a world of Duryodhans and Dushasans! Not a single Lord Krishna will come to help," the Chief Justice added."And we boast of the great culture of our country, when these things are happening!" Justice Dixit further observed. .The Court today expressed that it was not satisfied with the status report filed by the State government in the matter, as it did not contain information on whether the victim woman had been given psychological counselling or the details of her injuries and treatment. .Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty assured that these additional details would be placed in an affidavit, following which the Court granted more time for the State to file an additional status report. The Advocate General also informed that the investigation in this case has been handed over to the Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) who was present in the court today. The Court sought the presence of the ACP as well as the Commissioner of Police Belgavi during the next hearing too. .Before concluding the hearing, the Court reiterated that it was a shameful incident that should not be taking place in 21st century India over 75 years after independence. ."We are speechless. What can we say? There is no meaning to our technical advancement, our gaining economic power - everything would fail if you are not even worthy of calling ourselves human beings, every other thing falls flat! ... This is shame to all of us! We can't accept this situation after 75 years of freedom! ...The least we can do is to express our anguish in some harsh words," the Chief Justice said. .[Read live coverage of hearing]