OUT OF THE BOX: Out to protect girls on campus, cop finds herself at receiving end

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

SHARED BY AARDEE

New Delhi: She was posted at the Delhi University to protect girl students from eve-teasers. But on Wednesday, the plainclothes Delhi Police Constable not only found herself molested, but bundled up into a car and on the verge of being abducted.

The woman constable was patrolling the lane between Stephen’s College and Hindu College.

As per norm, she was in plainclothes to identify and catch assailants. But three youths, who drove up in a Santro, mistook her for a student and began passing lewd comments at her.

When she objected, they physically molested her.

When she objected even more, they dragged her into the vehicle and began driving off, with her screaming for help.

“A male constable, Sanjay, posted in Maurice Nagar, patrols the area along with her. He heard her screams and came to her aid,” said a senior police officer. But he got roundly beaten. “The assailants punched and kicked him,” the officer said.

Finally, to her abductors’ consternation, the woman announced that she was a cop. They stopped the car and two of them ran for their lives.

By then, a PCR van had reached the spot — Constable Sanjay had called for help.

“The police party intercepted the car. Two of the youths managed to flee, but the third was arrested,” said Sagar Preet Hooda, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).

He turned out to be one Anil Kumar, a Post Graduate in Arts from the Delhi University who has also done his BEd and is preparing to sit for competitive exams.

This resident of the North Campus has been booked under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 354 (deterring a public servant from discharging duty), Section 186 (obstructing public servant from discharging public functions) and Section 34 (acts by several in furtherance of common intention) at the Maurice Nagar police station. Similar cases have been filed against his two accomplices, who are on the run.

The police have conducted raids in their possible hideouts. They have even raided Anil’s house, but to no avail.

The move to deploy plainclothes women constables was taken after the police received many complaints from girls about molestation and eve-teasing in the campus.