Haryana Police on Tuesday registered a criminal case against unidentified police personnel of the Rajasthan Police for allegedly assaulting the pregnant wife of one of the five men accused of killing two men from Rajasthan whose bodies were found charred inside a car on February 16.
The case was filed after the family of Shrikant Pandit, a member of Gau Rakshak Dal, alleged that policemen from Rajasthan barged into their home on February 17, and hit Kamlesh Pandit, who was nine months pregnant at the time, ostensibly causing a miscarriage. Rajasthan Police denied the allegations.
Dulari Devi, the mother of Shrikant Pandit, said that at 3.30am on February 17, between 30 and 40 Rajasthan Police personnel barged into their home in Maroda village, and assaulted her daughter-in-law.
“Kamlesh was nine months pregnant. We pleaded with the police, some of whom were in plain clothes, but they abused us, assaulted us, and took our two sons with them,” Devi said.
Srikant Pandit was not at home when police visited the family. Devi’s sons – Vishnu and Rahul – returned later after police interrogation.
Devi said that Kamlesh was pushed to the ground and fell on her stomach. “She was screaming in pain but they left her in a pool of blood and went away. By the time we reached the hospital, doctors informed us she had miscarried,” she said.
Police have registered a case under sections 312 (causing miscarriage), 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (assault), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of Indian Penal Code at Nagina police station in Haryana.
Senior Haryana Police officials said that the National Commission of Women took cognisance of the matter and had written to them to take action.
On Sunday, Nuh police exhumed the “foetus” and a post mortem report was conducted, but the cause of death is still not clear.
Varun Singla, superintendent of police, Nuh, said, “We are verifying all the facts and details. Despite the post mortem report, the cause of death is still not clear which is why we have sent the viscera to the lab for further investigation.”
Rajasthan Police denied these allegations and said Haryana Police officials always accompanied them when they went to Haryana in connection with the case.
Umesh Mishra, Rajasthan director general of police, said, “The Rajasthan Police have always been accompanied by their Haryana counterparts. Lawful action has been taken as per prescribed procedure, and no human rights have been violated.”
Usha Kundu, assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Nuh, said that their teams accompanied Rajasthan Police, but had returned after showing them Pandit’s home. “We are unaware of what happened after that. We are conducting an investigation,” she said.
