2 of the 5 transferred WSIs recalled

AUGUST 4: Two of the five woman sub-inspectors who were summarily transferred from the crime branch on suspicion of sexual misconduct have ...

AUGUST 4: Two of the five woman sub-inspectors who were summarily transferred from the crime branch on suspicion of sexual misconduct have been recalled following an Express Newsline story (August 4, 1997) exposing blatant gender discrimination in the department.

Announcing his decision to recall two of the transferred WSIs, joint commissioner of police, crime, Ranjit Singh Sharma denied that the transfers had been effected due to allegations of the involvement of one of the WIs with notorious gangster, Matya.

But a senior officer from crime branch on condition of anonymity revealed, “ The WSIs were indeed transferred because of the scandalous allegations doing rounds of the commissionerate premises. It could have sullied the image of the crime branch.”

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The woman police officers but refused to take the `punishment’ lying down.“Why were we singled out for this unjust treatment,” questioned one. “We have sincerely worked here against heavy odds including sexual harassment and abusive language from some of our senior male colleagues,” she continued.

As protest three of the five WSIs, Vijaya Hiremath, Ragini Bhagwat and Sangeeta Shinde, reported sick while two others, Surekha Kapile and Geetanjali Puttol refused to report at their new posting at airport security.

This left the crime branch with little option but to recall at least two of them. Sangeeta Shinde and Geetanjali Puttol were asked to submit formal applications seeking retention at the crime branch. They were recalled to their respective crime branch units no VII and VIII and feelers have also been sent to Vijaya Hiremath and Ragini Bhagwat.

The idea of inducting the woman police officers in the crime branch was mooted by the then deputy commissioner of police, detection, Rakesh Maria and was followed by the late Deepak Jog when he took over from Maria.Soon after that six woman sub-inspectors from the 1989 batch were inducted in the crime batch in October last year.