In a significant display of solidarity, 10 women IPS officers from Tamil Nadu met Director General of Police JK Tripathy at the police headquarters in Chennai, on Thursday, 4 March, demanding action against the special DGP who has been accused of sexual harassment by a woman IPS officer.
They further demanded action against a Superintendent of Police, who stopped her vehicle at Chengalpattu and coerced her to refrain from reporting the incident, when she was headed to the DGP office to submit her complaint.
A woman IPS officer told TNM that a request was placed in front of the DGP for a speedy dispensation of justice.
“We have asked for suspension of the two police officials involved in the case and to make sure the investigation is completed swiftly. This is to avoid setting a bad precedent within the police department,” she said.
Meanwhile, Thursday also saw members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) protesting in front of the police headquarters, demanding action.
Attempt to Dissuade From Complaining
The survivor, a woman IPS officer, had approached the Tamil Nadu DGP alleging sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by a former special DGP in February.
In her complaint, the officer alleges that the incident took place in Karur district on 21 February. She was on ‘bandobast’ duty and was travelling with the Special DGP in a car after the Chief Minister's programme.
During the ride, he allegedly asked her to sing a song and then held her hand. He then allegedly kissed the back of her hand, despite her expressing discomfort over his behaviour.
When she left Chennai to give her complaint, the DGP allegedly called three officers and made them contact her with attempts to dissuade her from complaining. Amongst them, the Chengalpattu SP allegedly stopped her car and coerced her to talk to the former DGP on the phone.
An FIR has been registered against the Chengalpattu SP for obstruction of justice, while the former special DGP has been booked under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, and section 4 of the TN Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002.
(This story was first published on The News Minute and has been republished here with permission.)
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