Punjab cops thrash woman, two suspended

Tarn Taran (Punjab) : Two Punjab police personnel were suspended Monday after they were caught on camera beating a young woman – who was being sexually harassed by truck drivers – and her aged father here after she called police for help.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini suspended the two policemen Monday evening. He ordered an inquiry into the incident, to be conducted by a superintendent of police, and sought a report within one week.

The incident was recorded by a bystander on his mobile phone Sunday in this Punjab district, 300 km from Chandigarh, and was aired by TV news channels.

Three to four policemen slapped the victim, pushed her and hit her with a baton when she complained that she was being sexually harassed by truck drivers in the area.

The policemen also beat up her aged father and pushed him to the ground.

Area police officers denied that such incident had taken place.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the DGP to initiate strict action against the Punjab Police personnel for assaulting the woman at a marriage function in district Tarn Taran.

He said that there would be zero tolerance to any misconduct, especially against women.