The assault case of an army officer and his female friend in Odisha, which sparked nationwide outrage, has now turned into an online spat between army veterans and police officers. The case alleges that Odisha police officers in Bharatpur assaulted an army officer and ‘molested’ his female friend.
The woman claimed that she was beaten and sexually assaulted by the police officers, while the army officer was detained for no reason. The case has been transferred to the Odisha Crime Branch for a thorough investigation.
The High Court of Orissa has also taken a suo moto cognizance of the case and it is being heard by a Division bench headed by Chief Justice Chakradhari Saran Singh.
What is the Odisha assault case?
An Army officer, posted in West Bengal, and his female friend reported an alleged assault and ‘molestation’ by police officers at the Bharatpur police station in Odisha on September 15, after they had visited there to file a complaint about a road rage incident.
According to the reports, the army officer was detained and the woman was kept in a secluded room. Later, a female officer allegedly assaulted, stripped, and molested the woman, and the army officer was kept in the lockup for over 10 hours. He was released only after an intervention by Army authorities, news agency PTI reported.
The police have alleged that both the army officer and his friend were intoxicated when they arrived at the police station.
Five police officers involved in the case were suspended following the uproar.
The case has been transferred to the state’s crime branch.
"I assume full control over the investigation of Bharatpur PS case dated 15.09.2014……..and depute Narendra Kumar Behera, DSP, CID, Crime Branch, Cuttack to take up investigation of the case and other such cases registered in that connection," Additional DGP, Crime Branch, Arun Bothra said in an order.
The spat between the police and the army
The case has sparked an online spat between the army and the police. Several army veterans and retired police officers have raised strong opinions regarding the incident.
Army veterans have expressed their views on social media which indicates a "tremendous rage" within the Army regarding the treatment of the officer and his female friend.
The Central Command, Indian Army, wrote on X, "An incident of manhandling of an Army officer by police station, Bharatpur, #Orissa has been reported in the media. #IndianArmy takes a serious view of the incident. Necessary action has been taken up with the state authorities."
Retired Army Chief General and former Union Minster VK Singh called the incident "shameful and horrendous," and demanded accountability for the police. Retired Major Gaurav Arya also called out the unacceptable behavior of the police towards the couple.
"What happened to the fiancée of an Army officer in Bharatpur police station in Odisha is shameful and horrendous. The Chief Minister should take immediate action against the police personnel and all who are trying to shield the criminals in police uniform," VK Singh wrote on X.
Retired Major General Harsha Kakar also slammed the Odisha Police for "protecting molesters, bribe takers, crooked police and abusers of women".
On the other hand, The Odisha police had initially defended their actions, stating the couple misbehaved at the station and refused medical examinations.
Former CBI Director M. Nageswara Rao questioned the couple’s conduct and alleged that they were involved in a fight in a drunken state before the incident and had refused to go to the hospital for a medical examination and blood test.
“Odisha Police officers were not even at fault. But I would not chastise the Indian Army by asking, “Is this the kind of discipline that the Indian Army imparts and inculcates in its officers?.” Because an individual’s aberration does not represent an esteemed institution,” Nageswara Rao wrote on X while responding to VK Singh.
Odisha’s Retired Police Officers Welfare Association has also questioned the army officer’s behavior and recommended training on public conduct for military personnel.
Suo moto cognizance by Orissa High Court
On September 23, the Orissa High Court took the suo motu cognizance of the case and expressed shock and concern calling the incident “disturbing”. The court ordered a restriction on both mainstream media and social media from publishing the names and identification of the victims.
"We have intentionally not disclosed the names of the persons, who had visited the police station on September 15 night to lodge a complaint, but came out injured and implicated in an attempt to murder case. We consider it necessary for the facts and circumstance to restrain all concerns from publishing the identity of the two persons who visited the police station," the Odisha HC said.
The Crime Branch of Odisha Police is investigating the case thoroughly. The court has directed to submit a report regarding the case by October 8.
A Judicial Commission of Enquiry has also been established to investigate the incident, with the state government taking preliminary actions against the involved police personnel.
