About 10 female employees of the district police have accused a Krantikari Kisan Union activist and a Punjab Students Union (PSU) activist of using derogatory language and casting aspersions on their character during a protest against private bus operators here on June 2.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjeet Singh Sharma has marked an inquiry into the matter.
The complaint has been lodged against Sarmukh Singh of the Krantikari Kisan Union and PSU activist Jagroop Kaur. The latter is the wife of Rajinder Singh, state general secretary of the PSU.
During the protest, PSU activists and others had gathered outside the residence of local MLA Deep Malhotra to burn an effigy of Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. A source said a union leader had spoken against the character of female cops during his speech, even though his comments did not target any individual. Police are now using this outburst to corner the protesters, the source added.
The SSP said, “I have received a complaint from our employees (mostly constables), demanding action against the two persons for using derogatory language. I have marked an inquiry to the Faridkot deputy superintendent of police (DSP). Police also have a recording of the speech.”
Rajinder Singh termed the complaint a planned move to pressurise the protesters. “A woman police officer from the district is behind the complaint because she had used uncivilised language while torturing PSU leader Hardeep Kaur Kotla, who sustained a hearing problem after being beaten up by cops in police lock-up on May 6. Police are out to book the two activists, but they have not conducted any inquiry into the torture by cops of PSU activists who were arrested that day,” said Rajinder.
The district police had arrested 14 persons after a private bus was damaged allegedly by protesting activists of the PSU and the Noujavan Bharat Sabha on May 6. Twelve of them are in judicial custody. Protesters have been demanding their unconditional release from jail.
Rajinder Singh termed the complaint a planned move to pressurise the protesters. “A woman police officer from the district is behind the complaint because she had used uncivilised language while torturing PSU leader Hardeep Kaur Kotla, who sustained a hearing problem after being beaten up by cops in police lock-up on May 6. Police are out to book the two activists, but they have not conducted any inquiry into the torture by cops of PSU activists who were arrested that day,” said Rajinder.
The district police had arrested 14 persons after a private bus was damaged allegedly by protesting activists of the PSU and the Noujavan Bharat Sabha on May 6. Twelve of them are in judicial custody. Protesters have been demanding their unconditional release from jail.