FIR against Circle Officer for alleged sexual harrassment against social worker

An FIR has been registered against a Circle Officer posted in Kushinagar for allegedly sexually harassing a woman social worker, police said on Tuesday. The FIR was lodged against Ram Das Prasad, Circle Officer, Kasya in Kushinagar district after an inquiry in the matter, they said. The inquiry was done by ASP Gaurav Bansal and the report submitted to Superintendent of Police, Kushinagar, Vinod Kumar Mishra on Monday following which an FIR under IPC sections 354 (assault on a woman with the intention to outrage her modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation ) was lodged at Kasya police station.

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In her complaint letter to the SP, the woman had alleged that she often visited the CO's office in connection with her work as a social worker. On October 2, the accused officer called her to his residence on the pretext of some work and when the woman reached there, the cop who was heavily drunk started harassing her. He also beat her up when she resisted his advances, according to the complainant.

The official threatened the woman with her life if she disclosed the incident to anyone, the woman said, adding that she was in mental trauma following the incident and could even harm herself if she was denied justice by the police. The Kushinagar SP said that on the woman's complaint an inquiry was conducted and during the investigation, an FIR was lodged.

Further action will be taken after more investigation, he said. When the SP was asked if the accused still held the post of Circle Officer of the area, he said "nothing concrete" has been found against the CO so far and action will be taken according to the findings of the report.

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