MP: Brutal Police Assault on Dalit Woman Sparks Outrage, Suspensions Follow Community Uproar

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar always fought against the oppression of the exploited, deprived, workers, farmers, and women. Baba Saheb fought for the rights of the Dalit class, but today, on his Mahaparinirvan day, an unfortunate incident came to light where a Dalit woman was wrongfully detained and assaulted by cops in Madhya Pradesh.

Published on:

06 Dec 2023, 10:12 am

Jabalpur- A Dalit woman was brutally beaten by police officers in Jabalpur on suspicion of theft. The victim, Manju Banshkar, who works as a sanitation worker, was allegedly subjected to four hours of physical assault by a woman Sub-Inspector (SI) and a constable at the Oamti police station. The incident occurred on December 4th when the police, without registering an FIR, brought Manju and two others to the station for questioning regarding a gold bracelet that was lost during a party at a hotel where she works.

A female SI and a constable posted in Jabalpur's Omati police station brutally beat the sanitation worker with a belt and shoes for four hours without even registering an FIR. They then threw the woman out of the police station in an injured condition. As soon as the woman's family members and community members came to know about the incident, they gheraoed Omati police station.

After the uproar that lasted for several hours , the SP took action against the guilty policemen, suspended them, and handed over the investigation to the CSP. The victim has been admitted to the district hospital for treatment. The woman suffered serious injuries on her hands, legs, and back. The woman's treatment is currently continuing.

According to the family members , Manju Bashankar, resident of Shitala Mai, Jabalpur city, has been working as a sweeper in a private hotel located at Rals Chowk for the last ten years. There was a party in the hotel on December 1st. When Manju was cleaning after the party was over, she found a gold bracelet. Manju kept the bracelet with herself, thinking that she would return the bracelet to the Manager next morning.

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The next day, Manju reached the hotel and told a fellow sweeper Manoj about the gold bracelet found in the party which she has kept in her jacket. Later she got busy with her work and after some time, when she checked her jacket pockets the bracelet was not there. When Manju asked Manoj, he clearly denied that he did not know anything. The hotel manager gave Manju and Manoj two days' time to return the bracelet.

Manju said that the bracelet was in my jacket, and I told this to Manoj. When the bracelet was not found even after two days, a complaint was lodged with Omati police station. On December 4, at around 5 pm, the police of Omati police station reached the hotel and brought Manju Banshkar along with Manoj, Premwati, and Monu to the police station for questioning. Manju Banshkar alleges that the police started beating her at 5 pm and continued till 9 pm. SI Sunita and constable Ruby kept beating her with belts and shoes.

Following the harrowing ordeal, the police callously ejected Manju from the station.

Upon learning about this incident, members of the Banshkar community swiftly converged on the Omati police station. Pooja Banshkar, the District President of Vanshkar Samaj, expressed dismay, asserting that had the police genuinely suspected Manju of theft, they should have filed an FIR and taken appropriate legal measures. Instead, the police subjected Manju to an extended, unwarranted assault lasting four hours, only to release her without filing any charges.

In response to the community's outrage, a resolute demand was voiced – no one would disperse from the police station premises until decisive action was taken against the culpable officers. Despite the attempts by police officers to pacify the angered crowd, the community stood firm in their demand for justice against the offending policemen. Upon being apprised of the gravity of the situation, SP Aditya Pratap Singh promptly suspended SI Sunita Panch and constable Ruby. Furthermore, the investigation was entrusted to CSP Pankaj Shukla, following the directives of the Superintendent of Police.

CSP Pankaj Shukla emphasized that both accused police personnel have been suspended pending the ongoing investigation. Once the inquiry is concluded, a comprehensive report will be submitted to SP Aditya Pratap Singh. Currently, the investigation is actively underway, seeking to uncover the full extent of the incident and bring those responsible to account for their reprehensible actions.