Bhubaneswar, Sep 19 (IANS): The victim lady, in an alleged assault on an army officer and his lady friend at a police station in Bhubaneswar, on Thursday, narrated the ordeal she was subjected to at the Bharatpur police station on September 15.
She has brought serious physical and sexual harassment charges against the police officials including the then IIC of Bharatpur police station.
Notably, the woman victim who was arrested by the Bharatpur police on September 15 for allegedly misbehaving with police, fetched bail from the Orissa High Court on Wednesday.
The victim who reached AIIMS, Bhubaneswar on Thursday evening for treatment told media persons: “When I was going home after closing my restaurant at 1 am in the night on September 15, some miscreants in a vehicle waylaid us and tried to fight with us. After somehow escaping from them, we went to Bharatpur police station to file an FIR regarding the incident.”
She narrated that one lady constable wearing a nightie was sitting alone at the reception desk of the police station.
“I requested her multiple times to lodge my FIR as they (the hooligans) could again follow us. So, I wanted her to accept my FIR or send the patrol team. She did not help me, instead hurled abuses at me. When I told her that I am a lawyer and it's her duty to lodge the FIR, she got further angry with me,” added the lady friend of the Army officer.
She stated that a little while later, some lady and male officers reached the police station. Though they gave the army officer the opportunity to file the complaint, all of a sudden they threw him into custody.
“I again requested that they can’t put an army officer in custody which is unlawful. Then two female officers started beating me by pulling my hair. I pleaded with them to stop but they didn’t stop and dragged me through the police station’s corridor. I was trying my best to resist when a lady constable came there and held me by the neck. Then to escape from her clutches I bit her hand. Later, they tied my hands with my jacket and the legs with the scarf of a lady officer. One male officer, who after a few minutes, started kicking on my chest after pulling off my innerwear,” added the victim lady.
She also accused the then IIC of Bharatpur police station of misbehaving with her by showing obscene gestures.
“I thank Orissa High Court, the Army authorities, media and AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for their support for which I am free now. I was wrongfully thrown into jail,” claimed the woman friend of the army officer.
On the other hand, following the directions of the DGP Y.B. Khurania, the Chandaka Police station sleuths on Thursday initiated a probe in connection with allegations of road rage and harassment of the Army officer and his friend by some hooligans while they were on their way home on September 15 night.
A case has been registered at the Chandaka Police Station in Bhubaneswar against unknown miscreants in this regard.
Bharatpur Police claimed that the army officer, attached to the 22 Sikh regiment in Kolkata, and his lady friend attacked the on-duty women cops and misbehaved with them during the wee hours on September 15.
The Army officer’s lady friend also reportedly ransacked the computers and other articles inside the police station.
Notably, following widespread backlash over the alleged police assault, DGP Khurania on Wednesday suspended five police officials on the charges of gross misconduct.
The Odisha Crime Branch also took over the investigation into the case as per the directions of the DGP.