Mysuru woman seeks PM’s intervention over ‘harassment, sexual assault attempt’

New Delhi: A 26-year-old woman from Karnataka’s Mysuru district has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent intervention, alleging repeated threats, an attempted sexual assault and continued police inaction, which she claims stem from the political influence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah.

In a letter dated January 27, Sushma claimed that the series of incidents has left her family living in fear despite court orders and repeated appeals to authorities.

According to her, the dispute originated in a land purchase in Hebya village, Nanjangud taluk, which was legally registered in 2007. Sushma stated that after construction activity began on the land, certain local individuals "attempted to extort money, obstructed access to the property and issued threats, citing political backing leading to the Chief Minister". A civil court in Nanjangud subsequently granted a permanent injunction in the family’s favour, but the "harassment continued unabated", she told Millennium Post.

The woman said that the "intimidation escalated over the past year, with threats of kidnapping her four-year-old son and warnings of sexual violence if the family did not vacate the land".

Recently, she claimed, the same group trespassed onto her property at night and attempted to sexually assault her. When her husband A Amithaab intervened, he was allegedly attacked and suffered a head injury. The family also claims their mobile phone was snatched, their house and vehicle were damaged, and that emergency calls to the local police station went unanswered.

She further claimed that the police were initially "reluctant to register an FIR, citing the accused's political influence". However, an FIR was eventually registered for attempt to rape, but not for attempt to murder, she said. Even after approaching senior police officials, including the Deputy Inspector General, the complainant said that protection was provided only briefly and no arrests have been made so far.

The letter also alleged the complicity or indifference of certain local officials, including revenue and panchayat functionaries, in enabling continued harassment. The complainant has sought round-the-clock police protection, disciplinary action against erring officials, registration of all appropriate criminal cases and an independent investigation into the alleged political shielding of the accused.