A dispute has erupted between former Union Minister VK Singh, a retired Army Chief, and M Nageswara Rao, a former IPS officer, regarding an alleged incident of sexual assault involving the fiancée of an Indian Army officer at a police station in Odisha. Singh is calling for strict action against the police personnel involved, while Rao defends the Odisha police, claiming they are not at fault.
VK Singh Calls for Action Amid Allegations
VK Singh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), condemned the incident as “shameful and horrendous,” urging immediate action from Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik against the police personnel involved. Singh emphasized that the fiancée of the Army officer, who is also the daughter of a retired Army officer, deserves to be heard.
Nageswara Rao Defends Odisha Police’s Actions
In response to Singh’s statements, Rao accused him of jumping to conclusions without knowing the full context. He alleged that the Army officer and his fiancée were intoxicated, claiming they consumed ten pegs of liquor before engaging in a brawl with engineering students and subsequently causing a disturbance at the Bharatpur Police Station. Rao stated that the police were merely following standard protocols during the incident.
Rao argued that the Odisha Police, responsible for managing around 600 police stations and handling approximately 200,000 cases annually, should not be blamed for the actions of the Army officer and his fiancée. He emphasized the collaborative relationship between the police and military in ensuring national security.
Fiancée’s Account of the Incident
The fiancée of the Army officer, who operates a restaurant in Bhubaneswar, recounted her experience after being treated for multiple injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. She claimed that after closing her restaurant on September 15, she and her fiancé were confronted by a group of individuals, leading them to seek assistance at the Bharatpur Police Station. However, she alleged that when they sought to file a complaint, they were met with unprofessional behavior from the police, rather than the help they expected.
She was arrested on charges of assaulting police officers during the incident but was released on bail following an order from the Orissa High Court on September 18.
