Hubballi, Jan 22 (IANS): In a shocking incident, a man was stripped and thrashed by a mob for allegedly talking to a married woman in Hubballi city, Karnataka, on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in Tipu Nagar, under the jurisdiction of the Kasabapet police station.

Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the case.

Police said that the victim has been identified as Muzaffar, a resident of Tipu Nagar.

Authorities stated that the victim had spoken to a married woman over the phone on Tuesday. Upon learning of this, the woman’s relatives, along with a group of 15 individuals, kidnapped Muzaffar on Wednesday, objecting to his act of calling the married woman.

The mob stripped and brutally assaulted Muzaffar, slashing his body with blades. After the assault, they dumped him in Tipu Nagar in a naked manner and forced him to walk home in the same condition.

The victim is currently admitted to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi. Muzaffar’s family and relatives have expressed outrage over the incident and filed a police complaint against 15 individuals.

The family stated that the incident has severely damaged their reputation and dignity, making it difficult for them to face people in the locality. The police have taken up further investigation.

Earlier, a shocking incident occurred on November 16, 2024, in the Belagavi district of Karnataka, where a woman and a young girl were assaulted in full public view, and the woman was stripped on suspicion of engaging in prostitution, according to reports.

On December 10, 2023, a similar incident was reported from Belagavi city, where a 42-year-old woman was dragged out of her home, stripped naked, and paraded. She was then tied to an electric pole and assaulted, reportedly because her son had eloped with a girl from the village. The terror was unleashed on the boy's mother by the girl’s family members.