Mumbai: In a shocker, girls in a Jalgaon hostel were allegedly forced to strip nak*d and dance before some police personnel, the Maharashtra legislature was informed here Wednesday. Taking cognizance of the issue raised by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Maha Vikas Aghadi government announced a time-bound probe into the incident.
BJP legislator from Chikhli Shweta Mahale who raised the matter, said the women inmates who did not cooperate with the police were told to remove their clothes and dance naked.
“The women in the hostel now live in sheer fear. They must be made to feel secure. The incident is a blot on the face of the state. The police who are supposed to protect have become aggressors,” Mahale said.
“This is a shameful incident. A video clip shows police making the girls nude. This must be thoroughly investigated. We must deal with this matter sensitively,” said Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, as some members demanded sacking of the MVA government and others shouted ‘shame, shame’ in the House.
They urged Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to order an inquiry and immediately suspend the police officials involved in the incident.
“This is a very unfortunate incident. We have appointed a four-member committee to probe the incident and submit its report within 48 hours. Necessary action will be taken as per the rules after the probe report is received,” Deshmukh informed the House.
Minister for Women & Child Development (Mrs) Yashomati Thakur said that all the evidence would be collected and probed and those found guilty would not be spared. The incident allegedly took place on March 1 at the government-run Ashadeep Women’s Hostel in Ganeshnagar area of Jalgaon and a video of the dance party went viral.
A local NGO, Jananayak Foundation, complained to Collector Abhijit Raut and demanded a probe into the matter, as the hostel falls under the Women & Child Welfare Department.
According to the complaint, some local police personnel and others reportedly entered the hostel premises to ‘investigate’ certain things and coerced the women inmates to undress and dance before them.
When the girls refused to do so, they were threatened with dire consequences like murder. The inmates later narrated their plight from the hostel windows. Fadnavis pointed out that it was not merely some news report, but even videos of the incident have surfaced, even as his senior colleague and ex-minister Sudhir Mungantiwar slammed the government.
The government panel comprises Assistant Collector Trupti Dhodmise, mental health expert Kanchan Patil, policewoman Kanchan Kale and another official Kanchan Chavan.