Police Officer Accused of Sexual Harassment, Transferred Amid Inquiry

BERHAMPUR: A police officer in Nayagarh district was shunted after being accused of sexually harassing a married woman. A criminal case was also registered against him in the police station where he served. Nayagarh SP Suvendu Kumar Patra on Thursday informed that Sarankul IIC Sujit Kumar Das was transferred to district police headquarters following allegations of rape and abuse of authority levelled by the woman. A case was also registered against him in Sarankul police station, and a DSP-ranked officer assigned to investigate the matter. The police officer was transferred pending the inquiry to ensure a fair investigation and avoid any conflict of interest, Patra said. The complainant alleged that she had approached Sarankul police seeking protection and justice after facing harassment and assault by some villagers. In a written complaint submitted to the SP, she accused the IIC of taking advantage of her vulnerable situation by assuring her of assistance and legal support. The woman claimed that Das repeatedly contacted her, including through late-night video calls, and later took her to various locations, including a hotel in Nayagarh town and a rented house in Baunsia, where he allegedly raped her. She further alleged that the officer persuaded her to remain silent by promising police support and permanent rehabilitation in her village. According to the complaint, when she threatened to expose the matter, Das allegedly seized and damaged her mobile phone and deleted photographs and recordings stored on it. The woman also accused the officer of forcibly taking her inside the police station after returning from leave, subjecting her to third-degree torture and implicating her in a false case that led to her imprisonment.