“Punjab Police lady traffic Inspector Balwinder Kaur, who was heading the check-post, has been placed under suspension with the immediate effect by the Principal Secretary, Home DS Bains,” an official spokesman said here.
Shivali (20), a BA student of Prem Chand Markanda SD College, Jalandhar was allegedly harassed by traffic police personnel yesterday at the Naka.
Shivali was travelling in a car with a boy when they were stopped by the traffic cops at the check-post near the College and publicly humiliated her despite pleading that the two were known to each other.
Despite her requests that it would bring a bad name to her and she would be forced to commit suicide, the lady Inspector and her team allegedly humiliated the girl in front of mediapersons.
A couple of hours later, Shivali's body was found on a railway track nearby.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked Inspector General, Jalandhar Zone Gurpreet Deo to conduct a thorough inquiry in the circumstances leading to the girl's suicide, the spokesman said.
Indian Express reported today that within less than two hours after being humiliated by the local traffic police and photographed by some local newspersons called by the police after an accident, Shivali killed herself.
Eyewitnesses told The Indian Express that the traffic police personnel humiliated the couple publicly.
The police reportedly ordered Shivali's friend to do “uthak-baithak” (sit-ups), but he refused to comply. The police then called some local news photographers and told them to take photographs of the couple.
Despite Shivali's protests, photographs were taken.
“The girl threatened to commit suicide if her photos were published in newspapers... but a photographer said they would publish it,” said an eyewitness.
Shivali and her friend were finally allowed to go after they reached a settlement with the other driver.
At around 4 pm, Shivali committed suicide by jumping in front of a running train near the railway station, less than a kilometre from the police barricade where they were stopped.
Railway authorities said no suicide note was recovered from her bag.
Inspector Kaur said the police barricade was set up as part of a routine drive to check eve-teasing.
She said she intervened when she saw the occupants of the two cars arguing with each other. “I didn't see the girl being photographed by anyone,” she claimed.
The victim's brother, Paras, blamed the media for the incident.
