Odisha Assault Case: Who is telling the truth- Bhubaneswar DCP or the Army Major's fiancee?

Amidst the ongoing controversy over the alleged assault of an Indian Army officer of the Sikh Regiment Major Gurvansh Singh and the sexual harassment of his fiancee at Bharatpur police station, contrasting differences have emerged from the statements of Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh and the lady victim.

The incident has also kicked off a major political storm in Odisha, with Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik demanding a judicial probe and the BJP countering the former CM.

Amidst the allegations and counter allegations, question remains whether attempts were made to suppress the matter by the Commissionerate Police. The role of police officials has come under scanner as, despite a written complaint lodged by Army Major regarding harassment by road romeos, no action was initially taken by the officials of the concerned police station. It was only after the Odisha DGP ordered action against the road romeos, that the cops swung into action.

Meanwhile, startling differences have come to light as far as the statements of the Bhubaneswar DCP and the fiancé of the Army Major are concerned.

What Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh Claimed

Speaking to ANI, Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh on September 17 said that both the Army Major and his fiancé had come to the police station at Bharatpur in an aggrieved state.

“When they reached the police station they were aggrieved. They started talking to the officer in an aggressive manner and started shouting at the officer. The lady misbehaved with the concerned officer at the police station. Those present at the police station were misbehaved and hurled abuses. It appeared that she (Army Major’s fiancee) was not in a proper state of mind and was intoxicated condition. She started threatening officers. The lady slapped a woman officer and bit her fingers when she tried to stop her. When she could not be controlled, the IIC came and she also misbehaved with him. His male friend started arguing as well. Under such circumstances, a case was registered against them. The lady was arrested subsequently under several sections,” Singh had told the news agency.

Indian Army Major’s Fiancee’s Allegations

The fiancé of Indian Army officer of Sikh Regiment Major Gurvansh Singh on Thursday alleged sexual harassment by on-duty police officers inside the police station.

“I was physically and sexually assaulted by the on-duty police officers including the IIC of Bharatpur,” she said.

Also Read: ‘Custodial abuse’ by Odisha police: I was ‘sexually assaulted’, alleges fiancée of Indian Army officer

What New Video In Connection With The Case Indicates

Meanwhile, OTV has got access to another video in which the Army Major and his fiancé can be seen inside the Bharatpur police station. In the video, it is clearly seen that the Army Major was writing a complaint in a cool and composed manner. In the video, the Army Major’s fiancee can be heard raising question over the functioning of the police officers and their conduct inside the police station. Former Police official Sarat Sahu said that it is a condemnable incident and it could have been avoided.

"There has been excessive action by police. But we also need to hear the version of the lady officer who was present at the police station," said Sahu.

Suspense Over CCTV At Bharatpur Police Station

Amidst the ongoing controversy, several questions have cropped up over the CCTV cameras at Bharatpur Police Station. On March 11, 2024, Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda while the inauguration of the police station said, "The Bharatpur police station has been inaugurated by the CM (Naveen Patnaik) and it is a model police station with latest facilities to cater to the requirement of all sections of the society."

However, soon after the incident involving the Army Major and his fiancee happened, it was said that there was no CCTV camera at the police station. On September 17, Crime Branch DSP said, “We are seeing that there is no CCTV, we are looking into the matter.”