Bengaluru: Belagavi Police on Friday arrested two more accused, including a minor boy, in connection with the nude parade and assault of a Dalit woman case following the elopement of his son with a girl from Vantamuri village in Belagavi district.

Police have identified the accused as Santhosh Nayaka (19), saying that with the arrest of Santhosh Nayaka and the minor boy, they have rounded up all accused in connection with the case.

The accused have been handed over by the police to the Special Wing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further inquiry. A complaint was registered regarding the case against 13 persons in the case.

On December 10, the 42-year-old woman was dragged outside 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 family members of the girl.

The Karnataka High Court had strongly criticised the government earlier for the failure of the police department to prevent the incident.

The Bench remarked: “Imagine the fear among other women? They will feel unsafe in the country. Such an incident did not even take place in Mahabharata. Draupadi had Lord Krishna who came up to help her, but in the modern world, no one came to help this woman. Unfortunately, this is a world of Duryodhanas and Dushasanas.”

The Karnataka High Court also expressed that the villagers who stood mute spectators as a Dalit woman was stripped and paraded naked, should be fined by the government while the collected money must be given to the victim.

A Division Bench, headed by Chief Justice PB Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit, while looking into the Suo Motu PIL filed regarding the case, further said that the Karnataka government should make a provision for punishment or imposition of fines on the people of Vantamuri Village in Belagavi district where the incident took place.

The Bench mentioned that William Bentinck, a Governor General of British India, imposed additional duties on villages where people indulged in thefts. Likewise, if additional duties are levied in the present circumstances, the people will show more responsibility in future.