The City Police Commissioner’s office on Friday turned into a virtual battleground when a woman aged around 35, who gained entry into the office, hurled abuses and later engaged in a scuffle with women police personnel after she was denied an appointment with senior police officers to redress her grievances.
The woman, identified as Gowri from Ramanagaram, came into the office around 1 p.m. and received an appointment at the entrance to meet DCP (Public Relation Officer) V. Ramaiah.
Noticing that Mr. Ramaiah was not in the office, Gowri became restless. “Where is Ramaiah? I want justice, I want a job in the Police Department,” she shouted. Security personnel tried to calm her down, but Gowri became violent and help was sought from women police constables to calm her.
A furious Gowri began abusing the constables also. She was soon whisked out of the Commissioner’s office even while she exchanged blows with the women constables. A preliminary inquiry revealed that Gowri, who was married to a policeman, had been subjected to harassment before being dumped. A mother of two, she has been shuttling between Ramanagaram and Bangalore police stations to file a complaint against her husband, but she was shunted from one station to the other citing jurisdictional problems.
“I have been coming here for the past 20 days, but I have not been able to meet any of the officers, including the PRO,” said Gowri, who works in a garment factory.
The Cubbon Park police even poured water on her head thinking she was mentally ill. However, after hearing her plight, a woman police constable was sent along with her to Ramanagaram to inquire into her allegations. Assistant Commissioner of Police Venkataswamy said an inquiry has been initiated .
