Panchmahal (Gujarat): A team headed by a
member of NCW came here to probe into an incident where eight
women were assaulted allegedly by policemen.
The three-member team headed by National Commission
for Women member Wansuk Syiem and comprising advocate Preeti
Hingorani and social activist Trupti Shah from Vadodara, today
met the victims of the incident that took place on December
19, 2009, district officials said.
"The NCW member had come to inquire into the incident
that took place in December last year where some women had
alleged that police had physically assaulted them," District
Collector Milind Toravane told agency.
"They met the victims and recorded their statements.
The team also visited the site of incident," he said, adding
that Syiem and other members of the team also had a meeting
with the district police officials inquiring into the case.
District superintendent of police J R Mothalia said
that during the meeting with NCW team he briefed them about
the status of investigation so far.
"We had a meeting with the team and told them about
the investigation done in the matter," Mothalia told agency.
Chief Judicial Magisterial N V Tadvi of Godhra court
had ordered inquiry into the incident under Section 202 of the
CrPC last month.
While ordering the inquiry, the court had observed
that the medical report and observation by a woman magistrate
of the court showed that the eight women have been physically
assaulted in police custody.
The court had further observed in the order that when
the women were assaulted in custody there was no woman
constable or a lady officer present, hence an inquiry under
the CrPC section 202 was required.
The eight women had alleged that the policemen had
come to the Hathila plot, where they lived, after one Saud
Badam accused in cow slaughter case escaped from their
custody.
They had further alleged that the policemen assaulted
the men and molested them in front of their families.
After assaulting them police booked the eight women
for rioting, illegal assembly, causing hurt to public
servant, resisting arrest and obstructing arrest of another
person.
Today, social activist Teesta Setalvad of NGO Citizen
for Justice and Peace, was also present when NCW team was
probing the matter.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 22, 2010, 00:40