Ranchi/Daltonganj: Two police personnel, including the officer in-charge of a police station in Latehar district, have been suspended after a 33-year-old tribal woman accused police of assaulting her, sexually harassing her and keeping her in illegal custody during an operation linked to suspected opium possession. Chief minister Hemant Soren called the allegations “simply unacceptable” and ordered an investigation.Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav said OC Prabhat Kumar Das and constable Manish Ram were suspended with effect from Friday, and departmental proceedings would be initiated against them. He said Balumath SDPO is conducting an “exhaustive, open and transparent” inquiry, and further action will be based on its findings.The alleged incident took place on Oct 5, after police received information that a woman and a man were carrying opium. According to police sources, the man escaped and the woman was detained while she was grazing goats.Her son alleged that four policemen in plain clothes beat his mother with batons and took her to the local police station. “She was beaten with fibre rods, tied by her feet and suspended upside down,” he told TOI on the phone. He also alleged that police personnel groped her, verbally abused her over her identity and kept her at the police station overnight.The family has claimed that police demanded Rs 80,000 for her release and forced her to sign a statement saying they were involved in the opium trade and that she had no complaint against police. The family submitted a written complaint to the Latehar SP on Thursday.The case drew wider attention after Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha posted a video on X and tagged the chief minister. Hemant then directed the SP to investigate and report the action taken.Gaurav said police were required to follow strict seizure and arrest procedures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, including the presence of a magistrate. He said Das had acted with “undue enthusiasm” and not in line with protocol. On the allegation that no woman constable was present, the SP said a woman constable was at the spot.“No wrongdoer can get away. Law will take its own course,” Gaurav said.
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