A commanding officer of the Surat Home Guards and his assistant were suspended on Monday after 25 women home guards accused them of sexual harassment, The Indian Express reported.
Deputy Home Guard Commandant Virendra Singh Rana ordered the suspension of commanding officer Somnath Singh Gherwal and Platoon Sergeant Bhavna Kanthariya after the complainants wrote to Commissioner of Police Satish Sharma on Friday, accusing the two of physical, mental and sexual harassment. They also sent a copy of their letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja.
“As soon as we received the written complaint from the women home guards against their senior officials, we suspended them and handed over the inquiry into it to a deputy superintendent of police-level officer,” Home Guards Commandant General PB Gondia told PTI. He said investigators have recorded the statements of 19 of the 25 women.
The women alleged that the accused used to demand sexual favours and money to process transfer requests. Those who could not pay the money were transferred to remote areas, the complainants alleged.
One of the accused allegedly molested women on the pretext of adjusting their uniforms and some of them were allegedly forced to work as their seniors’ domestic servants. “We want justice from the competent authority,” The Indian Express quoted one of the complainants as saying. “The accused, Somnath Gherwal, has good influence in our organisation because of which no action has been taken against him till now. We are waiting to get justice.”
The complainant had submitted a similar accusation against Gherwal to Surat City Home Guard Commandant Praful Shiroya a year ago, the newspaper reported.
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