As many as 25 women home guards in Gujarat’s Surat have accused two senior officials of harassment and seeking sexual favours, prompting an inquiry. The women approached city police commissioner Satish Sharma on Friday, 2 November, with a written complaint.
Sharma said a 'local complaints committee' set up under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act was looking into it.
There are over 50 female home guards posted in Surat, who earn Rs 300 per day.
In their complaint, a copy of which is with The Quint, the home guards have accused Home Guard Platoon Sergeant Bhavna Kantharia and Officer-in-Commanding Somnath Vhrewal of abuse, assault and corruption.
Kantharia, the complaint said, also tried to coerce women to spend time with Somnath during duty hours. The duo allegedly also demanded bribes from the home guards for postings at posh locations.
The home guards have also accused Kantharia of docking their attendance for two months. Hence forcing them to go to Somnath to complain.
In their complaint the home guards have declared that if the two seniors are not removed from their posts, they will organise a massive protest on 8 November.
The four-page complaint has also been sent to Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, official sources said.
“We have referred the matter to the district local complaints committee headed by a deputy commissioner of police," commissioner Sharma told reporters on Saturday.
(With inputs from PTI)
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