Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Karnataka Police Arrest Seven in Gadag Rape, Illegal Abortion Case
Police in Karnataka have caught seven people who are accused of doing very bad things.
One of the accused is a doctor and another is a nurse who works at a hospital.
They are accused of hurting a woman who has a mental disability, which means she needs extra help to understand things.
Police say four of the people tricked the woman and hurt her many times over a long period.
When the woman became pregnant, her family found out what had happened.
The accused people are also accused of scaring her family and offering them money to keep quiet.
Police say the doctor and nurse helped end her pregnancy without permission, and she was made to take ten pills to make it happen.
The family also says some local leaders helped hide what happened.
Police are still looking for the person who sold the pills without a prescription.
The police chief in Gadag said nobody involved will be let off, no matter how important they are.
Karnataka Police arrested seven people, including a doctor and a staff nurse, in connection with the alleged rape of a mentally challenged woman in Gadag district.
Four of the accused — Sikandar Bepari, Shabbir Ahmad Langoti, Pradeep Navalekar and Bharat Koravara — allegedly lured the woman to an isolated location and sexually assaulted her repeatedly over a prolonged period.
The case came to light after the woman became pregnant, and the accused allegedly threatened her family and tried to settle the matter by offering money.
Police said the accused, with the help of a medical practitioner and a staff nurse, arranged an illegal abortion, during which the victim was reportedly made to consume 10 tablets to induce a miscarriage.
The victim's family alleged local community leaders and an SDPI leader helped facilitate the illegal abortion and protect the accused, while police are also searching for a medical shop owner who allegedly sold abortion pills without a prescription.
- Who
- Seven people arrested by Karnataka Police, identified as Sikandar Bepari, Shabbir Ahmad Langoti, Pradeep Navalekar, Bharat Koravara, Sandeep, Nagaraj Kamatara and Rekha Shirahatti; the victim is a mentally challenged woman.
- What
- The alleged rape of a mentally challenged woman and the illegal termination of her pregnancy.
- When
- Police announced the arrests on Saturday.
- Where
- Gadag district, Karnataka.
- Why
- The woman became pregnant after the alleged assaults, leading her family to learn of the abuse; the accused allegedly threatened the family, offered money to settle, and arranged an illegal abortion.
- Number arrested
- 7 persons, including a doctor and a staff nurse
- Arrested persons
- Sikandar Bepari, Shabbir Ahmad Langoti, Pradeep Navalekar, Bharat Koravara, Sandeep, Nagaraj Kamatara, Rekha Shirahatti
- Location
- Gadag district, Karnataka
- Victim
- A mentally challenged woman
- Allegations
- Repeated sexual assault and illegal termination of pregnancy
- Key detail
- Victim was reportedly made to consume 10 tablets to induce a miscarriage
- Police stance
- Superintendent of Police Rohan Jagadish said no one connected to the case would be spared
- Investigation status
- Underway; police searching for a medical shop owner who allegedly sold abortion pills without a prescription