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Drunk cop sexually assaulting female colleagues bodes ill for Delhi Police

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DailyBiteJul 26, 2017 | 16:52

Drunk cop sexually assaulting female colleagues bodes ill for Delhi Police

In a highly embarrassing though hardly surprising incident, a Delhi Police constable has been suspended for inappropriately touching two of his female colleagues while he was in a drunken state. The cop also stripped before another woman colleague and masturbated in front of the latter, while in an even higher state of inebriation.

A report in Mail Today highlighted the pathetic condition of Delhi Police itself, as its personnel are caught in the act of sexual assault, harassment, corruption and general ineptitude. As many as 2,026 Delhi Police personnel have been suspended from January 2014 to July 2017 for misdemeanour and corruption, according to Delhi Police data itself accessed by Mail Today.

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This particular incident occurred on Saturday last, at southwest Delhi's police training camp. On an average, two policemen are suspended daily by the department of vigilance for various reasons, including misconduct with seniors, corruption, involvement in crime and indiscipline.

A senior police officer was quoted in the Mail Today report, saying: "In almost 10 per cent of the cases, the cops are suspended for misconduct on duty that includes misbehaviour with senior officers and inappropriate conduct with female staff or complainants.

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As many as 2,026 Delhi Police personnel have been suspended from January 2014 to July 2017 for misdemeanour and corruption.

In the latest case, the cop misbehaved with two of his colleagues who hailed from Manipur, adding one more incident to the barrage of sexual assault cases directed at women from the Northeast of India. Racist and sexually perverted, this unacceptable behaviour, however, is increasingly becoming routine in various parts of the country, and Delhi Police personnel, who are responsible for maintaining law and order in the national capital, are displaying this ridiculous tendency.

According to the report:

"The 294 cops suspended till July 10 this year include an assistant commissioner of police, five inspectors, 45 sub-inspectors, 65 assistant sub-inspectors, 62 head constables and 116 constables. Those whose services have been terminated include one sub-inspector and three constables.

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The statistics also reveal that this year, out of 294 cops who were suspended, 75 were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Among them were six inspectors, six assistant sub-inspectors, 22 head constables and 39 constables. Of these 75 corrupt cops, 69 were suspended while six were dismissed.

On July 13, two police personnel, including a sub-inspector, were arrested after the vigilance unit caught them taking a bribe of Rs 5,000 from an accused in a sexual harassment case inside the Hauz Qazi Himmatgarh police post in the central district.

Also, five traffic policemen were suspended on Thursday after they were found taking kickbacks from truck drivers.

In May, three policemen - one assistant sub-inspector and two constables - were suspended and sent to the district lines followed by a departmental inquiry after a businessman alleged that he was beaten up by them in Rohini."

The list goes on and on. Cops have been booked for custodial deaths of inmates, for taking bribes, for engaging in corruption, for abusing vulnerable members of the society, for harassing older citizens and of course sexually assaulting women, particularly the complainants.

The report states:

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"This year, more than 80,000 complaints have been made against policemen on the anti-corruption helpline so far, compared to 1.09 lakh last year.

The data also shows that as many as 588 cops were suspended in 2014. The figure was 542 the next year and 602 in 2016. Delhi Police has around 85,000 personnel."

Even though disciplinary action has been taken against the drunken cop, the rot in Delhi Police runs deep. How are the Delhi cops going to uphold the rule of law and our protect women and children from sexual and other gendered forms of attacks if they themselves cannot put their own house in order?

Last updated: July 26, 2017 | 16:52
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