POTA detenue's allege harassment by police

Chennai, Feb 21 (UNI) Three POTA detenues, including two women who were allegedly subjected to harassment by a woman sub-inspector of police last night have demanded legal action against her.

Ms Ramani, one of the POTA detenu told newsmen here today that she and her colleagues Ms Ananthi and Suresh were detained under POTA a couple of years back and were released on bail.

They used to mark their presence in the POTA Court at suburban Poonmalee every month. After one such visit to the court last night, they were waiting at the Koyambedu city bus terminal to catch a bus to M G R Nagar in the city.

She said while two of the detenue went to a phone booth and she was standing alone at the bus terminal, the woman police official Ms Selvakumari approached her and questioned her why she was standing there. She also started abusing her before she could reply.

She said the woman police official also threatened her that she would book her for immoral trafficking. Following this a quarrel ensued. Meanwhile, a group of policemen in mufti came there and joined the women police official and started beating her and the other detenues who had returned to the bus stop. The cops also forcibly removed them to the police station.

However, on information the detenue's lawyers came to the police station and rescued them, she said.

She said the detenue would file a case against the erring woman police official before the Human Rights Commission and Madras High Court.

UNI