A case of alleged sexual assault on a mentally challenged young woman has emerged from Arahunasi village in Rona taluk of Karnataka’s Gadag district. The victim’s mother filed a complaint, accusing a man named Durgappa of luring her daughter with chocolates and snacks before repeatedly assaulting her. The abuse was discovered when the victim was found to be six months pregnant.
Authorities were alerted by the victim’s mother and local youths after learning about the incident. It is reported that the accused, Durgappa, recorded videos of the assaults on his mobile phone. The case came to light when one of these videos circulated, leading to the involvement of the authorities for investigation.
The victim was taken to the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) Hospital on July 6 for a medical examination. Police have initiated an investigation into the allegations and registered a case. Further inquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident and validate the claims made, including the video circulation.
In a similar incident in 2025, three men were arrested in Hassan for gang-raping a mentally challenged woman, recording the assault, and sharing the video. This sparked public outrage and protests. Additionally, in 2021, an unidentified individual reportedly raped a mentally challenged woman at K.R. Hospital in Mysuru, leading to an investigation into the hospital’s security measures.
In 2017, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and a driver were apprehended for raping a mentally challenged woman in a moving vehicle. The ASI was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Another case in 2019 involved the rape of a 25-year-old mentally disabled woman at her home, resulting in a swift arrest and conviction by local police using forensic evidence.
