A troubling incident involving an Army officer and his friend has sparked outrage after videos surfaced showing them being assaulted in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The videos depict the officer and the woman being manhandled by a group of men late at night, just hours after they had reported an earlier attack against them.
The Army officer, attached to the 22 Sikh Regiment in Kolkata, and his friend had gone to the Bharatpur police station to file a complaint regarding harassment they faced while returning to their hotel after closing the woman’s restaurant. However, upon their arrival at the police station, they encountered further hostility.
The footage, which NDTV accessed but has not independently verified, shows the woman confronting the group, asserting her right to manage her own appearance. “It is my prerogative,” she says, as the men hurl abuse at her and the officer. The situation escalates, with the officer attempting to protect her from the aggressive crowd, who dismissively declare, “This is not Delhi.”
The confrontation turns violent, with the officer attempting to shield the woman as they are both pushed and insulted. The ordeal continued when they reached the police station, where they found only a woman constable in civilian clothing, who allegedly refused to assist and verbally abused them.
The situation worsened as the officer was reportedly locked up, leading the woman to protest against the unlawful treatment of an Army officer. In a shocking turn, she claims that female officers assaulted her, using her jacket to bind her arms, while a male officer allegedly kicked her and made obscene gestures.
In response to the incident, Odisha Police has suspended five officers, including one of inspector rank, for “gross misconduct.” An inquiry is currently underway into the actions of both the police and the assailants prior to the couple’s arrival at the station.
Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has called for a judicial investigation into the case, emphasizing the need for swift action. He stated, “We demand a full judicial inquiry into this matter, and action must be taken very quickly,” in light of the alleged sexual assault and violence faced by the Army officer’s fiancée.
As the investigation unfolds, the public continues to express outrage over the treatment of the officer and his friend, highlighting serious concerns about safety and justice within the local police force.
Sources By Agencies
