A 33-year-old tribal woman from Jharkhand’s Latehar district has accused personnel at Bariatu police station of assaulting her, sexually harassing her and subjecting her to casteist abuse while she was in custody. Chief Minister Hemant Soren has ordered an investigation into the allegations, and local media reports said the station house officer and another police personnel were suspended on Friday.
The case came to light after the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, a people’s rights organisation, shared a video of the woman recounting her alleged ordeal, along with a copy of her complaint, on social media on Thursday. The allegations triggered outrage among local residents and rights groups, who have demanded accountability and action against those accused.
In response, Soren directed Latehar Police to take immediate cognisance of the complaint, investigate the matter and report back on the action taken. He described the situation as unacceptable.
Woman alleges she was assaulted while grazing goats
In her complaint to Latehar Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav, the woman, identified in media reports as Punia Devi, alleged that she was taken into custody on October 5 while grazing goats near Bajnadih Mahua.
The complaint names Bariatu police station officer-in-charge Prabhat Kumar Das, a driver identified as Kundan Thakur, a station clerk named Manish, and three other personnel allegedly in plain clothes. The woman alleged that she was taken away forcibly and assaulted before being brought to the police station.
According to her account, the alleged abuse continued inside the station, where she was tied up and suspended upside down before being beaten. She also alleged that the personnel used casteist slurs against her and subjected her to sexual harassment.
The complaint further alleges that green chillies were forced into her mouth during the assault. These allegations have not been independently established, and the investigation is expected to determine the circumstances of her detention and the conduct of the personnel involved.
Forced video statement and ₹80,000 theft alleged
The woman alleged that the police coerced her into recording a video statement claiming that she was involved in illegal poppy cultivation. According to the complaint, the recording was made under pressure before she was released on the night of October 6.
She also alleged that police personnel searched her home and took ₹80,000 that she had saved for an upcoming wedding.
The allegations have prompted demands for an impartial investigation into the alleged assault, the circumstances in which the woman was detained and the reported removal of money from her home.
The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha has brought the matter to public attention by circulating the woman’s account and complaint. The organisation and local residents have called for action against the personnel named in the allegations.
Hemant Soren orders probe as police take action
Following the public outcry, Soren instructed Latehar Police to investigate the complaint and take appropriate action. In a post on X on Friday, the chief minister said the police should act immediately, conduct an inquiry and provide information on the action taken, adding that the situation was unacceptable.
Latehar Police subsequently constituted an investigation team led by the sub-divisional police officer in Balumath and a woman police officer to examine the allegations.
Separate local media reports on Friday said Bariatu station officer-in-charge Prabhat Kumar Das and another police personnel had been suspended, with departmental proceedings initiated against them. The reported suspensions mark an initial administrative response to the allegations, while the inquiry is expected to establish individual responsibility.
The allegations have also led to calls from rights groups for a case to be registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, alongside other applicable legal provisions.
Rights groups demand accountability
Local residents and human rights groups have demanded the immediate suspension and arrest of the police personnel accused by the woman. They have called for a transparent investigation and legal action if the allegations are substantiated.
The case has raised concerns over alleged custodial violence, the treatment of tribal people by law enforcement personnel and the safeguards available to people detained for suspected involvement in illegal activities.
The woman’s allegations remain subject to investigation. The inquiry will need to establish whether the alleged assault, sexual harassment, casteist abuse, coerced video recording and removal of money took place, and determine what action should follow against any personnel found responsible.