Three women complain of torture by Assam police

Guwahati, Sep 17 (IANS) The allegation of harassment and torture by three women in custody has landed the Assam police in a controversy.

The police at Bura outpost in Darrang district have drawn flak after three women lodged a complaint against the in-charge of the outpost for harassing them on the pretext of investigation.

The women have stated that they were beaten up by the officer in-charge after their brother eloped with a Hindu girl. Although the boy surrendered to the police along with the girl he eloped with the same night yet the police tortured the three sisters of the boy before releasing them. The boy was produced in court and sent to judicial custody.

Locals said that the accused eloped with the girl on September 6. "Officer in-charge of the Bura police outpost took away the three sisters of the boy from their house and tortured them inside the outpost. One of the sisters, who was pregnant, suffered badly during the torture leading her to deliver a still born baby later," the locals said.

Although the incident took place on September 6, the three women lodged the complaint only on September 11.

Mangaldai Superintendent of Police Amrit Bhuyan said that a probe has been ordered.

"The doctors who had conducted the medical examination of the three complainants, however, said that there were no marks of any injury or torture. However, we can comment on this only after the probe is over," Bhuyan said.