Jharkhand Tribal Woman Alleges Custodial Torture, Harassment By Latehar Police; CM Hemant Soren Orders Probe

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has ordered a prompt investigation into allegations of severe custodial assault, sexual harassment, and casteist abuse leveled against several Latehar police officers by a 33-year-old tribal woman. The incident came to light after the woman's ordeal was documented in a video and shared by the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, a coalition advocating for social justice.

In the video, the woman recounts how she was brutally beaten by the station's senior officer-in-charge and three male policemen while she was grazing goats on October 5. Police allegedly touched her breasts, hogtied her, and subjected her to further abuse at the station. She also alleges that officers forced green chillies into her mouth and coerced her into making a false video confession of illegal poppy cultivation.

The complaint further states that the woman's house was ransacked, and Rs 80,000 earmarked for her wedding was stolen. Soren, reacting to the video on his social media account, demanded immediate action and informed the police of the expected investigation. The incident has sparked public outrage, leading to the formation of an internal inquiry team to probe the alleged misconduct.