Bengaluru: Bengal woman facing theft charges alleges assault by police

Bengaluru, Nov 3 (IANS) A woman from West Bengal, facing theft charges, on Monday, has alleged police brutality by the Bengaluru police, police officials said.

The victim and her family have levelled allegations against personnel of the Varthur police station and the matter has been brought to the attention of the Chief Minister's Office in West Bengal.

The victim, 33-year-old maid Sundari Bibi, is currently resting at home after receiving treatment at Bowring Hospital.

She had been working at an apartment in Bengaluru when she was accused of theft.

Following a complaint, the police allegedly took her into custody and brutally assaulted her, beating her on her body, limbs and head.

Sundari also alleged that she was assaulted in her private parts, leaving her unable to even attend to nature's call.

She claimed that the police, who had summoned her for questioning, assaulted her on her private parts, hands, legs and head.

According to the victim's statement, she had found money that had fallen on the floor while working in the flat and was about to return it to her employers.

However, before she could do so, the flat owners allegedly thrashed her and handed her over to the police, who then assaulted her.

The victim's family contacted West Bengal Rajya Sabha member and West Bengal Migrant Workers' Welfare Board President, Samirul Islam.

Rajya Sabha member Islam, in turn, reached out to the Chief Minister's Office in West Bengal and forwarded the complaint for further action.

More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident.

In October last week, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh suspended the DJ Halli Police Inspector Sunil H.B. and Assistant Sub-Inspector Prakash on charges of harassing and blackmailing a woman for sexual favours.

Based on the complaint by the victim, an FIR was filed against them at the Peenya police station.

On October 16, a Bengaluru traffic police officer was suspended after a viral video showed him slapping a youth at Madiwala in Silk Board Circle in Bengaluru.

After the video created outrage and people demanded a criminal case, calling it assault and not mere misbehaviour the police department confirmed action taken against the accused police officer.

Three police officers in Karnataka were suspended on June 29 for their role in falsely implicating a tribal man in the alleged murder of his wife, who was later found alive.

Those suspended are Kushalnagar Circle Police Inspector B.G. Prakash, Yelawala Inspector Mahesh Kumar, and Jayapura Inspector Prakash Yathinamani.

--IANS

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