UP: FIR against SHO for assaulting, manhandling rape victim

Pratapgarh, Jun 25: A Special Judge here has directed the police to lodge an FIR against a former Station House Officer (SHO) for physically assaulting a rape victim. The victim, a woman, was allegedly raped by one Karan Saroj at her house on February 1, 2021.

She had initially lodged a complaint regarding the matter at Antu Police Station and was taken for a medical examination on February 6. On February 8, according to her complaint, the woman met Praveen Kushwaha, the then SHO of Antu Police Station, and appealed to him to lodge an FIR.

Kushwaha, instead of filing her report, manhandled her and hurled at her casteist slur, she wrote in her complaint. While hearing the matter on Friday, Special Judge (SC/ST) Monika Thakur ordered police to lodge an FIR against Kushwaha under relevant sections of the law. The victim had in her complaint, filed on February 1, 2021, alleged that one Karan Saroj raped her when she was alone at her house.

The woman had alleged that a female relative of the accused, one Usha Saroj, was also present at the time of the incident and had asked the accused to kill her to avoid any controversy.

PTI