DIMAPUR, Nov 13 � A group of irate women from Senchum village numbering around 50 protested in front of the office of the Superintendent of Police Dimapur yesterday, demanding disciplinary action against a woman police officer, who had allegedly assaulted a woman from the said village on allegations of kidnapping a girl.
The alleged assault on the woman while in women police custody had occurred on the night of November 3, reports of which subsequently appeared in local dailies based on an FIR reportedly lodged by the daughter of the woman who was allegedly at the receiving end of the assault.
Following the incident and aided by the news reports, a fresh FIR was reportedly lodged at the West Police Station by the �victim� against the officer concerned on November 5. Dimapur police instituted an inquiry into the alleged assault on the same day while the probe team was directed to investigate the matter and come up with a report within five days. The deadline expired on November 10 for which the protesting women were demanding action.
Dimapur SP Z. Mero later told mediapersons that inquiry is over and report received yesterday, while also disclosing that the protesting women were pacified on the assurance that the probe has been completed and the report is on his table. Stating that the report had been delayed by two days because the inquiry officer had to attend to an unavoidable circumstance on the home front, he also informed that he is yet to go through the findings which will be sent to police headquarters on Monday for the final decision.
If the officer concerned is found guilty, the quantum of punishment will depend on the decision of the police headquarters, the SP averred, adding that there are certain protocols to adhere to in such matters. Since the officer concerned is ranked above the constabulary, the decision has to come through the police headquarters, he said.
Yesterday�s commotion has its roots on November 3 when a missing FIR was lodged at the East PS by one N. Pahen Phom, said to be the brother of a girl who had reportedly gone missing. The FIR alleged that the woman who was at the receiving end of the women police assault was the one responsible.
The girl was, however, said to have been staying at the woman�s house of her own consent and had returned to her brother�s home on the evening of November 3. The FIR was then withdrawn by the brother, yet the story did not end there. The story took a new turn on November 4 when the �victim�s� daughter filed an FIR accusing the Women Cell personnel of assaulting her mother for no rhyme or reason while in custody.
