Girls stripped, forced to dance by police; Maharashtra govt orders probe

This incident happened at a hostel in Maharashtra's Jalgaon, said the state's Home Minister Anil Deshmukh

In a shocking incident, girls were forced to strip and dance by some cops and others in a hostel in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra.

Raising the issue in the Maharashtra Legislature, the BJP lashed out at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. The government has announced a time-bound probe into the incident.

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The incident took place on March 1 at the government-run Ashadeep Hospital in the Ganesh Nagar area of Jalgaon after which a local NGO Jananayak Foundation filed a complaint into the matter with Collector Abhijit Raut.

The hostel is run by the state government’s Women and Child Welfare Department. According to the complaint, some police personnel and others entered the hostel in the name of an investigation and coerced women to undress and dance. However, when the girls refused to do so, they were threatened with murder. The girls later narrated the incident from the windows of the hostel.

A video clip of the incident has also surfaced.

“We expect the government to take immediate action,” Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said. “There are video clips, where policemen are forcing girls to strip and dance....we must take the issue sensitively and must probe,” he added.

"It is not merely a news report but also there are videos that have surfaced," the former CM pointed out.

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BJP MLA from Chikhali, Shweta Mahale raised the issue and demanded a probe. Former Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said that the government does not seem serious over the issue.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said a four-member panel has been formed to probe the incident and table the report in two days. "It is a very unfortunate incident. Action will be taken as per rules after the report is submitted. Videos and other evidence are being gathered," Deshmukh said. The panel includes Assistant Collector Trupti Dhodmise, mental health expert Dr Kanchan Patil, Kanchan Chavan and Police Inspector Kanchan Kale.

"Those found guilty will not be spared,” added Woman and Child Development Minister Yashomati Thakur.