Mumbai, April 27: After Kolhapur head constable Yuvraj Maruti Kamble, 32, was arrested on Sunday for raping a 25-year-old trainee woman constable, the MP of the district, Sadashivrao Mandlik, on Tuesday alleged that this is not an isolated incident and that several senior police officers in his region have been sexually harassing trainee women constables.
When produced in court on Monday, Kamble denied he had committed the crime and accused some few senior police officers instead. Home minister RR Patil has appointed a one-member committee of a female IPS officer to investigate the claims.
Mandalik has claimed that 11 candidates were found pregnant after their medical test before the second session of the training. Talking to media, Mandalik said that he is demanding the transfer of district superintendent of police Yashashvi Yadav as senior officers are reportedly involved in the rape cases. One of the 50 women trainee constables selected for the training at the district training centre in Kolhapur had lodged a complaint against her drill trainer Kamble. He was arrested and sent to judicial custody.
After the local politicians alleged that more women were victimised, the home department appointed Maithilee Jha, additional superintendent of police for Nashik rural, to conduct the inquiry.
Director general of police Ajit Parasnis said in Pune that he is aware of the issue. “I have ordered an investigation into the matter and am waiting for the probe report. If there is any involvement of senior officers, they will not be spared,” he said.
Describing the incident as “unfortunate and heinous”, Mandlik said that minister of state for home Satej Patil should play a more proactive role in nailing the culprits as he hails from Kolhapur.
The 25-year-old victim, who has accused Kamble of raping her, joined the police force on July 27, 2010. Her training was due to start in Nashik on April 9, 2011, along with a batch of other newly recruited women constables. Tests for pregnancy and haemoglobin are mandatory for all women constables before they start training.
The rape came to light when she tested positive for pregnancy at the Chhatrapati Pramilaraje Rugnalaya (CPR). “She ran away from the hospital along with her medical certificate,” a CPR official told reporters. The hospital administration is confused, as the victim underwent medical tests twice — on March 21 and 31. “We are verifying her reports,” civil surgeon Dr Ravindra Nitturkar said.
Patil said that as of now only one case was registered with the police. “Only one candidate has registered the complaint. The girl, in her statement, has mentioned that Kamble called her on the pretext of notes for her exams and raped her. The incident was reportedly took place on January 14, but the blackmailing practice by the accused averted the victim from registering the complaint,” he said.
—-Agencies