Tarn Taran/ Amritsar, Punjab (March 13, 2013): It is learnt that on March 12, 2013 two Punjab police cops were booked and arrested on the charge of assault and molestation, as they had beaten up a Dalit girl on March 7, 2013 who had approached them for help after being sexually assaulted.
Cops beat Women in Punjab (March 2013)
As per reports Head Constables Karaj Singh and Davinder Singh were arrested under Section 354, 323, 148 149, 506 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 3, 4 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act) for thrashing, molesting and making verbal personal attack on the girl.
However, victim, Harbrinder Kaur, said that so far only two policemen were suspended and arrested “whereas there were total eight cops involved in the beating incident and all should be dismissed from services.”
It is learnt that the arrested cops were remanded in police custody for six days, till March 18, 2013.
The victim and her family said they wanted the cops, head constable Davinder Kumar and constable Saraj Singh, to be dismissed from service.
“We also demand the arrest and dismissal of the other policemen involved in the assault,” said Harbrinder Kaur’s brother Gurjinder Singh.
It is notable that this incident had sparked strong criticism against the Punjab police and the state government after the video of the incident was shown on some news channels.
Meanwhile, the victims girl has reportedly said that the arrest of two policemen was not enough since had she made demand for the arrest and dismissal of all the eight policemen.
The girl in her complaint had said that while she, along with her father, was coming home after attending a marriage function on March 7, a truck driver and his accomplices started to tease her besides passing vulgar comments.
When she and her father approached the nearby police party, both were beaten up by the policemen on duty, who allegedly let off the accused after accepting bribe.