RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Feb.9: Even being deputy superintendent of police (DSP) does not give immunity to women in Jharkhand from eve-teasing.
This was reflected after a woman deputy superintendent of police in Jharkhand capital registered an FIR against two police constables, Vinod Pandey and C.P.Upadhyay, and 15 others alleging that they molested her when she asked them to stop playing a vulgar song on DJ while taking idol of Goddess Saraswati for immersion on February 8 from old police line campus. The lady police officer said her cook rescued her from the clutches of molesters.
The FIR was registered at Lower Bazar police station under section 354 (molestation), 294(playing vulgar songs in a public place) and 342 (wrongful confinement). The woman police officer has provided video to support her allegation.
Senior superintendent of police Surendra Kumar Jha said an FIR has been registered in this connection.
When contacted one of the accused, Vinod Pandey, denied the allegation saying the lady police officer has misused her official position to tarnish the image of the police fraternity without any justified reason.
“The dispute arose after the lady police officer assaulted one Dheeraj Kumar Singh and called bad names for those organised Saraswati Puja in the old police line campus amid presence of around 200 men, women and children on way to immerse the idol. I have been made a sacrifice-goat as I attempted to nominalise the matter,” Pandey said.
Pandey, who is joint general secretary of the Jharkhand Policemen’s Association, said he has also given a complaint against the lady police officer but no FIR was registered on its basis and favour was done with the lady police officer. He also shared a copy of the complaint received by officials of the Lower Bazar police station.
A police official supported Pandey saying senior officials are responsible for the situation. “How come a Dy SP was given a house in the locality specified for junior officials and constables? The incident was the outcome of ego clash and a sudden outburst of anger. Giving it a molestation angle is wrong,” the police official said.
