<p>The Irula tribal women complained against policemen belonging to Tirukoilur police station in Villupuram district, around 150 km from here, said a police official.<br /><br />"The judicial magistrate of Tirukoilur is conducting an inquiry on the complaint," Villupuram Superintendent of Police N. Baskaran told IANS.<br /><br />The magistrate began his inquiry Sunday, police officials said. <br /><br />On Saturday, police received a complaint from a woman alleging sexual assault by police officials in Tirukoilur police station.<br /><br />Accoridng to police, six men were picked up by Tirukoilur police for house breaking and theft.<br /><br />The women alleged that eight policemen subsequently also picked up the four women, related to the men, for inquiry.<br /><br />According to the women four policemen had raped them.<br /><br />Police officers told IANS that the women confessed that they had lodged false complaint in order to secure the release of the men held in custody.<br /><br />It may be recalled that two months back, a special court in the state had convicted 269 accused for atrocities against the Dalits and 17 for rape in what is known as Vachathi case. <br /><br />A team of police and forest department personnel indulged in loot, arson and rape in Vachathi village in Dharmapuri district in June 1992.</p>
<p>The Irula tribal women complained against policemen belonging to Tirukoilur police station in Villupuram district, around 150 km from here, said a police official.<br /><br />"The judicial magistrate of Tirukoilur is conducting an inquiry on the complaint," Villupuram Superintendent of Police N. Baskaran told IANS.<br /><br />The magistrate began his inquiry Sunday, police officials said. <br /><br />On Saturday, police received a complaint from a woman alleging sexual assault by police officials in Tirukoilur police station.<br /><br />Accoridng to police, six men were picked up by Tirukoilur police for house breaking and theft.<br /><br />The women alleged that eight policemen subsequently also picked up the four women, related to the men, for inquiry.<br /><br />According to the women four policemen had raped them.<br /><br />Police officers told IANS that the women confessed that they had lodged false complaint in order to secure the release of the men held in custody.<br /><br />It may be recalled that two months back, a special court in the state had convicted 269 accused for atrocities against the Dalits and 17 for rape in what is known as Vachathi case. <br /><br />A team of police and forest department personnel indulged in loot, arson and rape in Vachathi village in Dharmapuri district in June 1992.</p>