Incident allegedly took place during Raksha Bandhan programme in Dantewada; inquiry ordered

A few tribal girls studying in a residential girls’ school in Dantewada district of south Chhattisgarh have accused some Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men of “indecent behavior and molestation” last week.

The incident allegedly took place on July 31 inside the residential school premises in Palnar village of Dantewada during a “Raksha Bandhan” programme organised by a local news channel.

“A local news channel was given permission by the CRPF sector IG to conduct a Raksha Bandhan programme at the CRPF camp in Palnar on July 31. On August 1, the warden of the residential tribal girls’ school, the District Education Officer of Dantewada and some members of the district council went to the district collector with a complaint that some CRPF men had indulged in indecent behavior with some girls in the residential tribal girls’ school during the programme. They complained that the girls were allegedly frisked by some CRPF men when they went to the washroom,” said Mr. Ajay Singh, Deputy Inspector General of the CRPF, Operations in Chhattisgarh sector.

The incident came to light after social activist Himanshu Kumar posted it on some social media sites and groups on Monday. Mr. Kumar claimed that some CRPF men followed the girls to the washroom and molested three of them.

Women in panel

Mr. Singh, meanwhile, informed that two inquiries have been ordered into the incident. “One inquiry has been ordered by the Dantewada district collector. The CRPF has also ordered a departmental inquiry. We have requested the Dantewada district collector to include maximum female members in the inquiry committee. The CRPF inquiry will be headed by the CRPF DIG Dantewada range and female members will be part of the panel. Strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty in the report. If any of our men are found involved, they will lose their jobs and go to jail,” said Mr. Singh.