Inquiry committee to probe Rajkot incident

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday set up an inquiry committee to look into allegations of police inaction forcing a woman to walk semi-nude on the streets of Rajkot to highlight her harassment for dowry.

The four-member committee headed by Malini Bhattacharya, also a member of National Commission for Women (NCW), would inquire into the circumstances that compelled the victim to take such a step, according to a senior official in the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD).

It would also inquire into the steps taken by the police in dealing with the complaint of 'dowry demand and harassment' lodged by the victim and the reasons for 'inaction'.

The committee would investigate into the case and submit a report to the NCW within ten days. Its will give its recommendations to the Commission for taking action as deemed fit against the culprits.

The committee would visit the areas involved, meet the victim, public officials and others.

It would also recommend remedial measures and strategies to punish and prevent recurrence of such incidents.

The panel also includes NCW Law Officer Yogesh Mehta, Under Secretary in the WCD Ministry Nandan Singh and Vice Chairperson of National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCID) Alka Lamba.

Pooja Chauhan, 22, had walked on the roads of Rajkot in a semi-nude condition to protest against alleged harassment by her in-laws for not bringing sufficient dowry and bearing a girl child after police reportedly did not act on her complaint.