Woman constable alleges molestation by BSF officer

The incident occurred when a women constable (name withheld) along with her colleague was on night duty at a watch tower and was found talking on a cellphone. A senior officer who saw her talking approached to question her,but she hid the gadget inside her dress as cellphones are not allowed on duty.

The officer asked her about the phone but she denied having it. The officer,allegedly,then started to search her body. “I resisted,but he did not stop and reaching under my clothes took the cellphone out,” the woman reportedly told the SWC chairperson Gurdev Kaur Sangha on phone. This happened in the presence of a her woman colleague and a male constable,who had accompanied the officer,the woman alleged.

Sangha,confirmed receiving the call from the woman three days ago. “I asked her to file a written complaint but she said she will not be able to do so as she was being watched by her senior officers,” Sangha said,adding that she has already written to BSF Inspector General (Border Range) Himmat Singh Gill demanding a probe and action against the erring officer.

Sources in the BSF stated that the woman has lodged a complaint with senior officers. She has also sent her complaint letter to the SWC through a male companion.

The BSF,IG,Himmat Singh Gill could not be contacted for comments.

Meanwhile,the woman constable said that she wanted justice as the senior officer crossed the limits of decency. “I might have been wrong in possessing the cellphone set,but this is not the way to search a woman. He could have asked my woman colleague to search me. He touched me in indecent manner,” she told the Indian Express on Saturday.

She added that she had information that a deputy commandant has been asked to probe the matter. “My written complaint has reached the IG Office and an inquiry has been ordered. My statements are yet to be recorded,” she added.