The Odisha State Commission for Women (SCW) has launched an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a fiancé of an army officer following a suo-motu cognizance of the incident reported at the Bharatpur police station. This development occurred on September 20, 2024.
SCW Chairperson Minati Behera visited the Bharatpur police station to gather information regarding the case, engaging with staff and obtaining pertinent documents.
After her visit, Behera stated, “We have taken suo-motu action on this case and initiated an inquiry. The crime branch has assumed control of the case and removed certain documents, so we secured whatever information was available at the Bharatpur police station.” She confirmed plans to visit the victim’s home for further discussions and indicated that the commission would approach the crime branch for additional documentation and to confer with investigating officials.
Following the collection of all necessary materials, a dedicated committee will be established to conduct a thorough inquiry into the allegations. The findings of this probe will be submitted to the government, along with essential recommendations, and further discussions will take place with the Director General of Police (DGP).
The National Commission for Women has also acknowledged the situation, soliciting an action report from Odisha’s DGP.
In a related incident, an army officer stationed in West Bengal and his fiancé approached the Bharatpur police station earlier that Sunday to report harassment during a road rage altercation involving local youths.
During their time at the police station, tensions escalated over the registration of their FIR, leading to an altercation with the officers. The woman claimed she was sexually assaulted while under police custody after being arrested for allegedly misbehaving with the personnel. She was subsequently released on bail by the high court on Thursday.
Published – September 20, 2024 04:12 pm IST
