GUWAHATI: A woman from Lower Nogolpara village under Dainadubi Police Station in Meghalaya’s North Garo Hills was allegedly assaulted and molested in connection with a coal case at Dudhnoi police station in Goalpara district.
According to reports the incident took place July 5. This incident has been the subject of widespread protest by Garo organizations in the area.
According to reports, two police officers who were involved in the police overreach on the woman were suspended.
A case (No 44/22) under section 294/384/354/325/342/34 of IPC in this connection was lodged at the Dudhnoi Police Station.
The FIR read, “On July 4, some Police personnel of Dudhnol Police Station called me and my husband at around 2 pm. Together with my husband, I went to Dudhnol’s police station and inquired why. Then the police intimated to us that on June 25, one Dhrubananda Choudhury lodged an FIR against us alleging that on February 24, 2021, he had paid Rs 95,000 along with 29.30 tonnes of coal to my husband to deliver at Dainadubi, but my husband has not given him the money and coal.”
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“On our arrival at Dudhnol Police Station, police called Dhrubananda Choudhury and the police started threatening us by various means, they also used various slang languages towards us. The police personnel and Dhrubananda Choudhury forced us to pay Rs 20 lakh on the spot at the police station”, the FIR added.
“We stated to them that it is not possible for us to pay the huge amount at a time and I also stated that I have only Rs 50,000 in my purse and I can give that amount to them if required. Dhrubananda Chudhury, along with some policemen, brutally attacked us with lathi and hands. They have also forcefully taken our signatures on some Non-Judicial Stamp paper and white blank papers and they have also snatched Rs 50,000 from my purse”, the woman alleged in the FIR.
“After some time they allowed to go my husband to manage Rs 20 lakh and kept me inside the police station. Dhrubananda Chchoudhury (a woman police constable Mamta Joshuai) and some officers brutally attacked my husband with cables wire, hand and leg lathi. I was also molested and outraged by their actions. Their assault left me with severe injuries to my legs, hands, and everywhere else on my body. They even switch off my mobile phone”, her FIR added.
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“Soon after the incident, somehow I called my relatives and intimated the fact to them. Then some policemen took me to the Dudhnol Hospital and the policemen didn’t allow me to enter the hospital, they entered the hospital with some papers and took the signatures of the Doctor. After that they allowed me to come to my house”, she added.
The Garo Students’ Union, Assam State Zone (GSU-ASZ) protesting the issue wrote to Goalpara superintendent of police for immediate action.
Garo Development Council (GDC), while condemning brutality, demanded justice to the victim and her families.
In a letter to Goalpara SP, GSU-ASZ president Foldin Marak, vice-president Sengman Areng and general secretary Kronel Sangma said, “The the scene, in which the Garo lady has been brutally subjected to a third-degree method and physically tortured by the police personnel on duty at the Dudhnoi Police Station, is quite shocking and condemnable at its highest order.”
The statement added, “The scene is a shameful, discredited and a great disgrace to the Assam Police, which once earned the reputation of being just, honest, sincere and committed to the Assam Police Mission Statement.”