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Journalism of Courage
Pune City police landed in controversy following action taken by them while providing assistance to their counterparts from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in tracing a “missing” woman. Three women in Pune — in whose company the “missing” woman had been for a day — alleged that police tortured them and passed casteist remarks against them. However, the police have refuted the allegations.
A missing report was filed at a police station in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar by the family of a 23-year-old woman who had left home a few days ago, but didn’t return.
A probe by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar police had revealed the missing woman was in Kothrud area of Pune city. So a police team reached Pune and sought Kothrud police station’s help in tracing her.
On August 1, a damini squad (comprising only policewomen) from Kothrud police station questioned three women residing at a hostel in Kothrud, as the missing lady had stayed with them for sometime. The three women were also brought to Kothrud police station for inquiry.
Later, the women alleged that they were beaten up at the police station. They also alleged that the police officials made casteist remarks against them. The issue was raised on social media by activists and politicians.
The women demanded action against police officials under the SC & ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar held a meeting with Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma and other senior police officials demanding action against the cops who allegedly harassed the women.
Dalit leaders Prakash Ambedkar, Sujat Ambedkar and others from Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi also levelled allegations against the police for making casteist comments against the women.
The women staged protests even in the night at Pune City police Commissionerate. One of the women submitted a complaint application regarding harassment to police on August 2. Senior police inspector Sandip Deshmane of Kothrud police station gave her a reply in writing on August 3 that a prima-facie inquiry into her complaint found no substance and so no offence can be registered against the cops in this case.
Deshmane stated that the alleged incident did not take place in “public view” and the complainant was not able to give concrete material supporting the allegations. The woman then filed another complaint application at Pune Police Commissionerate around 2 am on August 4. Deshmane also replied to this application that no substance was found in the allegations.
Meanwhile, the woman who reportedly went missing from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar was traced to Pune. She gave a statement that she left her home due to harassment from her husband and in-laws, police said.
Political leaders and activists have demanded an investigation against her father-in-law, who they claimed is a retired police officer and allegedly exerted pressure on the police department for taking wrongful action in this case.
