Former Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged sexual harassment of a woman in police custody.The Odisha Police had on Wednesday suspended five personnel in connection with the alleged assault of the army officer and "molestation" of his female friend at Bharatpur Police Station in Bhubaneswar. According to an order issued by Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania, the five police personnel have been suspended on the charge of gross misconduct.
Adding that the incident "incompetence" of the BJP government in the state, the former CM said, "The way an Army Major and a lady were treated in Bharatpur Police Station is shocking and beyond comprehension. The manner in which police have allegedly treated them has shaken the conscience of the country. This has happened to a serving Army Officer and a lady within Odisha. @bjd_odisha strongly condemns this heinous act and expects the BJP Government to take the strongest possible action against all those involved.
"During our government, we had the system of #MoSarkar in which the Chief Minister, Ministers and Senior Officers would call the citizens to take feedback on their visits to government offices including police stations and hospitals, whether they were treated with dignity and professional conduct. This BJP government has immediately stopped the pro-people initiative of Mo Sarkar and the consequences are visible."
The day, the BJP government refused to take action against the governor’s son on a serious case of assault, others got emboldened. I still urge for action to be taken by this government against the Governor’s son. I demand a court-monitored SIT probe and a judicial inquiry into this grave incident against an Army Major and the lady."
"We demand a full judicial inquiry into this matter and action must be taken very quickly," Patnaik said.
What is the case
The army officer posted in West Bengal and his female friend had approached Bharatpur Police Station early on Sunday to lodge a complaint of road rage in which they were allegedly harassed by some local youths. At the police station, the duo got engaged in a quarrel with the personnel over the registration of an FIR. The woman, who was arrested in Bhubaneswar for allegedly misbehaving with the police, claimed that she was sexually harassed after being taken into custody.
(With PTI inputs)
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