Updated
Bangalore, Jul 16 (PTI): Government will take stern action against the guilty, including a political leader if involved, in connection with the alleged abduction and rape of a 22-year-old woman in a car here, a senior minister said.
"Government will take all measures to arrest and put them behind bars whoever were involved. We will also not spare a political leader if he is involved," Minister for Higher Education R V Deshpande told the Legislative Assembly.
The main accused, son of a local BSP leader, has been arrested in the case. The victim was sitting with her male friend in a car near her apartment on Thursday midnight when four men alighted from another car, forcibly got into their vehicle and drove them away, according to police.
Both were taken to a nearby railway track where three men forced the woman's friend out of the car, while the fourth allegedly sexually assaulted her in the vehicle, police said.
R Ashok, Govind Karjol, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and K G Bopaiah (all BJP) and Ramesh Kumar (Cong) spoke about the increase in such incidents and demanded stern action against the culprits.
Ashok said government should book the accused under the Goonda Act.
Intervening, Speaker Kagodu Thimappa said action also should be taken against "Godfathers of these criminals."
"Godfathers are there even now and were there during BJP government. Action should be taken against them," he said.
Thimappa also rued that such rapists and criminals go on to become big politicians. "I do not want to name one of them who has become so," he said.
Ramesh Kumar demanded that the government should resort to "encounter tactics" to stop such criminals from growing in numbers as was done when B Rachaiah was the Home Minister during Ramkrishna Hegde's rule when some chain snatchers were allegedly eliminated.
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Members cutting across party lines in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly demanded stringent action against persons allegedly involved in abduction and sexual assault of a 22-year-old woman in Fraser Town in Bangalore on Friday night.
Former Home Minister R Ashok (BJP) raised the issued in the Legislative Assembly and said theState Government’s failure to ensure safety of women residing in Bangalore.
C T Ravi, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, K G Bopaiah, Sunil Kumar (all BJP), Ramesh Kumar (Congress) and YSV Datta of JD(S) condemned sexualassault of the postgraduate student before her house.
Even as several members stood up to raise the issue, Speaker KagoduThimmappa said all these criminals will become political leaders in the coming days.
He suggested to the Government to shun tout ineffective top police brass who have been ineffective to nab culprits behind attacks on women.
Bopaiah said police inspector Mohammad Rafiq of Pulakeshinagar police station should be remanded for judicial custody for the alleged delay in filing an FIR.
The inspector has now been suspended after the furore over the issue in the media.
Cases of sexual harassment were being reported from different parts. But the Government has treated the issue "very lightly,” he said.
BJP members demanded pro-active steps from the Government to ensure women’s safety.