State women’s panel chief seeks prompt police action
CHANDIGARH: The state women’s commission chief on Monday said Punjab Police needs to be proactive in following up crimes against women.
Commission chairperson Manisha Gulati said, “Cases of police apathy towards victims and empathy towards perpetrators of crime abound. Whether it’s runaway NRI grooms, victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, police make women run from pillar to post for justice.”
She said she has taken up the matter with state police chief Suresh Arora, who is the ex-officio member of the commission, and he has assured her of facilitating a meeting with district police heads. “Documents and public records sought by the commission are often not produced,” she said.
Citing a case of police inaction, Gulati said those booked for abetting the suicide of a goldsmith from a village in Gurdaspur district were roaming free despite summons and reminders from the women’s commission. Fresh summons were issued on Monday to the station house officer concerned after the first information report was registered under Section 306 of the IPC on May 9.
In her complaint, the goldsmith’s wife said, “My husband was assaulted by money lenders who took away our land, house and car. After my husband committed suicide, they misbehaved with me and showed obscene videos. They demanded I send my 17-year-old daughter with them if we wanted them to spare us. They had told my husband to do so too. I have three daughters and a son and we are terrorised. We dread to even continue staying in our village.”
The 17-year-old girl said she had to drop out of school in Class 11 due to threats from the accused. “I don’t know how much my father owed them but he used to pay them interest from his shop’s earnings daily. Yet they took away our property and car. I saw them slapping and threatening my father. They demanded I be sent for a night to them and threatened us,” she said, seeking their arrest.
Gulati said she had met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and urged her to allow the state commission to set up panel in other countries to take up cases of atrocities against NRI women.
Gulati said the commission’s budget is just ₹70 lakh.