A Dalit woman from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala has alleged harassment by the police over a theft case, which later proved to be false. The woman has now filed complaints with the Chief Minister of Kerala, State Police Complaint Authority and the Kerala State SC/ST Commission alleging harassment by Peroorkada Sub Inspector and four other police officers.
Bindu R, a 39-year-old woman, was taken to the police station on April 23 for questioning about the alleged theft of 2.5 sovereigns of gold from the house where she worked as domestic help, following a complaint. Bindu alleged the police refused to listen to her version and harassed her by accusing her of the crime and registering a First Information Report (FIR). The complaint was later withdrawn and police are taking steps to quash the FIR.
The harassment
“I spent a night at the police station. They questioned me till three in the morning. They were never ready to listen to my version,” Bindu told TNM.
Bindu, who had been working as a domestic help for the past four years took up the new job at a house in Ambalamukku on April 14. Bindu said she worked only for three days April 14, 15 and 19 and then discontinued. “I don’t know why, but I didn’t like going there. So, I stopped,” she said.
On April 23 Bindu received a phone call from the Peroorkada police station around 3.30 in the evening. “The police said they received a complaint against me. When I reached there, the house owner and her daughter from the house where I discontinued domestic work were present. They accused me of stealing their gold chain,” Bindu said in her complaint.
According to Bindu, the police officers had this preconceived notion that she had committed the crime. “They used very harsh and bad language. They never asked whether I committed the crime or not. They asked where the gold was,” she said.
After the first round of questioning, police took Bindu to her house for a search, where they found nothing. Then they again took her to the station and booked her under Section 306 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha (BNS). Bindu also alleged that the police threatened to lock up her children, two girls aged 15 and 17, along with her husband if she failed to commit the crime.
“My husband and relatives came to the station following the house search, but the officers did not allow them to give me food,” Bindu alleged. She said was able to have food only on the afternoon of April 24.
No theft happened
Bindu spent nearly a day at the station and was only able to go home after the complainant informed the police that they had retrieved the gold from their home. “The house owner never informed me that they got the gold back. They said they are forgiving me because I have two girl children. Later, my husband came to know about that through a police officer,” she said.
Bindu told TNM that the incident made her life tough as the police made her look like a thief before her relatives and neighbours. “Now I have stopped going to work. The police officers never apologised for what they did,” she said.
Peroorkada SHO denied the allegations. “There are CCTVs in the station. How is it possible to harass a woman?" he said.
Following Bindu's complaint, the state SC/ST commission directed the Thiruvananthapuram cantonment Assistant Commissioner on May 6 to file the inquiry report within 20 days.
