Bhubaneswar, Sep 19 (IANS) Taking suo motu cognisance of the allegations of police assault on an Army major and his woman friend at Bharatpur Police station in Bhubaneswar on September 15, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Director General of Police, Yogesh Bahadur Khurania.

The DGP has been asked to submit the ATR within three days.

“The National Commission for Women takes suo motu cognisance of allegations made by an Army officer and his lady friend regarding their custodial abuse by Odisha Police. A formal letter has been sent to the DGP, requesting an action taken report within 3 days. Urgent disciplinary action is expected,” posted NCW on its official ‘X’ handle on Thursday.

As per the reports, the army officer, attached to the 22 Sikh regiment in Kolkata, and his woman friend had gone to the Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar to lodge a complaint against some miscreants over an incident of road rage.

Meanwhile, the police officials asked the army officer to lodge a written complaint but the army officer insisted on the cops apprehending the miscreants first not waiting for the written complaint. This allegedly ensued an argument between the police, the army officer and his friend.

The army officer was allegedly beaten by the on-duty police officials while three lady cops dragged his lady friend into a cell and reportedly thrashed and molested her at the police station.

Bharatpur Police claimed that the army officer and his friend misbehaved and attacked the on-duty women cops during the wee hours on September 15. The Army officer’s lady friend also reportedly ransacked computers and other items inside the police station.

The Bharatpur Police later arrested the woman friend by registering a case under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and forwarded her to the local court while the army officer detained by the police was released after serving of notice under section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Notably, following widespread backlash over the alleged police assault, DGP Khurania on Wednesday suspended five police officials - the Ex-IIC of Bharatpur Police station Dinakrushna Mishra, Sub Inspector Baisalini Panda, two women ASIs Salilamayee Sahoo and Sagarika Rath and the constable/1208 Balaram Hansda of the same Police station on the charges of gross misconduct.

The Odisha Crime Branch also took over the investigation charges into the case as per the directions of the DGP.