Sacked police radio operators hold protest; deny 'sexual favours'

Lucknow, Oct 1 (UNI) The sensational revelation by a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer that women candidates were physically exploited to get appointment in the police department in the state, today boomeranged with hundreds of woman radio operators holding a protest and seeking an unconditional apology from the police chief.

Since morning hundreds of police radio operators, sacked yesterday following large-sclae irregularities in their appointments, had started gathering outside the police wireless headquarters at Mahanagar here. Shouting anti-government slogans, the sacked cops demanded immediate reinstatement. The women constables denied that some of them were physically exploited in lieu of appointments.

The police constables, while demanding an unconditional apology from Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh, also sought lodging of a FIR against Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Shailja Kant Mishra for his ''irresponsible remarks''.

In the latest wave of annulment of recruitments made by the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government, the Mayawati government had last night sacked 7400 police constables, including 1200 wireless operators. The 1200 operators, include 232 women.

The sacked police personnel blocked the busy Mahanagar crossing, known as 'wireless chauraha' for several hours. ''We have lost our job and dignity...while we have been left to fend for ourselves, the irresponsible statement of an ADGP that women were physically exploited has damaged our reputation,'' said a sacked woman radio operator.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Samajwadi Party slammed ADGP (Special Task Force) for his remarks. Mishra is heading the probe committee looking into the irregularities committee during the appointment of 22000 constables between 2005-06 by 55 boards during the previous regime.

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