Bhubaneswar: The fiancée of an army captain, who was assaulted and detained by police personnel at Bharatpur Police Station on September 15, on Thursday revealed that she was beaten, kicked, and dragged through the corridors, and also molested by a police inspector.
The woman, a restaurant owner in Bhubaneswar, recounted the ordeal after her discharge from AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she received treatment for multiple injuries, including a dislocated jaw. She was arrested on allegations of assaulting police officers but was released on bail by the Orissa High Court’s order on Wednesday. The High Court is scheduled to hear her petition to quash the FIR against her and the army officer on September 26. Following her release, the army officer lodged an official complaint against the staff at the Bharatpur police station on Wednesday.
The woman, a lawyer and restaurant owner in Bhubaneswar, stated that shortly after midnight on Sunday, following the closure of her restaurant, she and her fiancé were accosted by a group of individuals who initiated a confrontation.
“We managed to flee and reached Bharatpur Police Station to lodge a complaint. At the station, only a female police constable was present at the reception. We sought to file a complaint, citing the urgency due to the possibility of the youths in the vehicle pursuing us, which warranted police patrol for our safety. However, the constable behaved inappropriately instead of taking my complaint,” she recounted. Upon revealing her profession as a lawyer, the constable allegedly resorted to misconduct.
“Subsequently, a patrol vehicle arrived at the station with several officers, including women. Two female officers then assaulted me, pulling my hair and thrashing me repeatedly. Despite my appeals, they continued, dragging me across the station’s corridor. In self-defence, I bit the hand of one officer who was choking me. They then used my jacket to restrain my hands and a scarf to bind my legs before confining me in a room,” she detailed.
“Then, a male officer came… removed my bra, and continuously kicked on my chest. Then the inspector of the police station came, unzipped his trousers, flashed his genitals and taunted me if I wanted to have a physical relationship with him. He also molested me,” the victim said.
The state government has initiated a CID investigation into the incident and has suspended five police officers, including Inspector Dinakrushna Mishra.
The National Commission for Women has requested a report on the actions taken by the state’s Director General of Police regarding the case.
DGP YB Khurania has directed the police to file a case against the individuals accused of assaulting the woman and the Army officer, which led them to seek police assistance initially. “All culprits will be identified and sternly dealt with,” Khurania stated.
