Athlete Pinki Pramanik, who was released on bail here on Wednesday, alleged harassment while in police custody and said that her hands and feet were tied when she underwent medical tests.
“I was given an injection when I resisted the medical test. I woke up and found that my hands and feet were tied…the tests were forcibly conducted, after tying my hands and feet, at a private nursing home,” she told journalists shortly after her release.
Ms. Pramanik was released from the Dum Cum Central Correctional Home in the morning after a district court in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas granted her bail on Tuesday, 25 days after she was arrested.
The athlete’s ordeal, however, continued even after her release as she had to wait for over four hours for the keys to her flat that was locked to be handed over to her on her second visit to the local Baguihati police station.
“I was harassed at the Baguihati police station earlier and I am still being harassed by them. I do not know why I am continuously being harassed by the police,” she said.
The athlete alleged that she was being framed in the case. “I was framed, there are still efforts being made to frame me…the woman is trying to frame me,” Ms. Pramanik said.
Ms. Pramanik charged that the woman who lodged a complaint against her used to do chores for her. She sought a proper investigation in this case. The athlete said that her father Durgacharan Pramanik had met the State’s Sports Minister and she would like to meet him in this regard.
MMS on the Net
The athlete’s father, who was with her during her release, said that it was a “shame” that a multi media service (MMS) clip of his daughter shot during her medical examination was circulated on the Internet.
While he demanded that those responsible be punished, the athlete said that she would speak to her lawyers on recourse to legal action.
Ms. Pramanik was arrested on June 14 following a complaint by her neighbour that she was a male and had raped and tortured her. She then had to undergo medical tests at a private nursing home, district hospital and later at the State-run SSKM Hospital.
‘A test’
Asked what was going through her mind when she was in prison, the athlete said she felt it was a test and that she would emerge a winner.
Ms. Pramanik thanked sportspersons and civil rights activists who stood by her in difficult times. “I thank all of them for doing so much for me. While in prison, I read about the protests in the newspapers,” she said.
