Latehar, October 9 (Daily Kiran) : In Latehar, Jharkhand, three police officers, including Bariyatu police station chief Prabhat Kumar Das, have been suspended following allegations of assault and misconduct against a tribal woman named Puniya Devi. The action was prompted after Chief Minister Hemant Soren took notice of the case.
On October 8, Puniya Devi submitted a complaint to the Superintendent of Police, alleging that the officers had physically assaulted her, used derogatory language, and behaved inappropriately. Superintendent Kumar Gaurav confirmed receiving her complaint and stated that an investigation is underway, with appropriate actions to follow.
According to Puniya Devi, the incident occurred on October 5 while she was grazing goats near her village. She claims that plainclothes officers accused her of being involved in poppy cultivation, leading to verbal abuse and physical violence. The officers allegedly took her into custody and continued to assault her during transport.
In her complaint, Puniya Devi also accused the officers of harassment at the police station, using casteist slurs, and sexual misconduct. She reported that 80,000 rupees, saved for her daughter’s wedding, were stolen from her home.
Puniya Devi stated she was released from the station on the night of October 6. The police have yet to independently verify her claims. They mentioned that a raid was conducted on October 5 near Bagandi Mahua to seize poppy plants.
Following the incident, the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha raised the issue on social media platform ‘X’, prompting Chief Minister Soren to direct the Latehar police to conduct an immediate investigation and take appropriate measures. The Chief Minister emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable. A team, led by the sub-divisional police officer of Balumath and a female officer, has been formed to investigate the matter. Police officials indicated that further actions will be based on the investigation’s findings.
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