‘Was shocked and in fear’: Woman alleges sexual harassment by Chennai cop at protest

A woman activist participating in a public demonstration against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Chennai alleged that she was subjected to sexual harassment by an on-duty male police inspector. Following the incident, the South Chennai District Committee of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) formally submitted a complaint on Tuesday, October 13, to the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner seeking immediate criminal and departmental action against the involved officers.

The incident took place on October 10 during a protest organised by the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) and the All India Youth Federation (AIYF) against the SIR of electoral rolls.

Gayathri (name changed), a full-time worker and South Chennai district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Odhukkappattor Vazhvurimai Iyakkam, was marching towards the Chief Electoral Officer’s office when police erected barricades to halt the marchers. As protesters breached the barricades, an unidentified male police inspector engaged in security operations attempted to block Gayathri after another woman protester pushed past him.

Speaking to TNM, Gayathri said that the inspector extended both his hands towards her chest area and pressed tightly on her chest to stop her. “I was really shocked, in fear, and had severe pain in my chest following the assault,” she said.

When she immediately reported the harassment to another police inspector on duty, the officer refused to investigate or register the complaint. The inspector dismissed her complaint, stating, “Police personnel working with us would not behave like that.”

In its complaint, NFIW emphasised that constitutional protection under Article 21 guarantees the right to life, personal liberty, and dignity. “Even if there is a need to restrain a woman participating in a protest, the police have no right to touch her body in an unauthorised manner or act in a way that violates her bodily dignity.”

The organisation urged police authorities to register a case under Section 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), and ensure adherence to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

NFIW outlined key demands to the police commissioner, including immediate registration of a formal complaint, examination of duty rosters and CCTV footage from October 10 to identify the accused officer, and disciplinary action against the officer who refused to record her complaint.