Koppal (Karnataka), March 30 – The Karnataka Police have launched a search for a man involved in a series of unusual thefts targeting women's undergarments in the Gangavathi town of Koppal district over the past few days.
This development has caused concern among residents in the area.
The incident was reported to the Gangavathi Town Police Station. CCTV footage from the area captured the suspect carrying out the acts, which quickly went viral on social media.
According to a preliminary police investigation, an unidentified man has been entering residential premises at night by climbing over compound walls and stealing women's undergarments. The incidents have been reported from the CBS locality, a prominent residential area in the town.
Residents have complained to the police that the thefts have been occurring over the last three to four days, with the accused specifically targeting women's undergarments. The repeated occurrences have caused anxiety among women in the neighborhood, with several residents expressing concerns about safety and privacy and calling the thief a "psychopath".
Further investigation is underway.
It is worth noting that the Hebbagodi police in Bengaluru had arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly wearing women's undergarments and roaming in public places, causing public nuisance and outrage. The police stated that the accused was allegedly seen wearing women's undergarments, posing indecently, and moving around public areas, causing discomfort and fear among women. The accused, a 23-year-old man, was also found taking selfies while wearing them.
In another bizarre incident that shocked and disturbed residents, the Karnataka Police arrested a man on charges of stealing women's old undergarments within the Bendigeri police station limits in Hubballi city on September 30, 2025. According to the police, the accused confessed to stealing women's lingerie that was hung out to dry outside homes on clotheslines or within residential compounds, during the night. Investigations revealed that the man would return the stolen undergarments by throwing them back into the compounds after about a week.
It is also worth noting that Umesh Reddy, a serial rapist and murderer, was arrested in 2002 and remains in prison. When he was arrested, the police found him wearing a bra and panties. The belongings seized from Umesh Reddy after his arrest included women's garments, including 10 bras, 18 pairs of panties, six sarees, two nighties, eight churidars, and four blouses.
Reddy, who had several aliases, was a former CRPF constable and hails from Chitradurga district in Karnataka. He was convicted for raping and murdering women who were staying alone in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi and Davanagere in Karnataka, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, and also in Gujarat. The Supreme Court had confirmed Reddy's death sentence for the rape and murder of Jayashri Maradi Subbayya in 1998.