A 16-year-old girl, who had gone to the police to register a molestation complaint, in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur city was seen being victim-shamed in a video that has now been widely shared on social media. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also tweeted the video on Thursday, criticising the policeman for his behaviour, NDTV reported. The policeman, who was seen in the video questioning the girl, has been suspended, ANI reported.
In the video, reportedly shot by the girl’s brother, Head Constable Tar Babu is heard questioning the girl on her choice of accessories. “Why are you wearing a ring?,” he asked her. “Why are you wearing a ring and this necklace? Why are you wearing so many items? You don’t study. So much jewellery, why are you wearing it? What’s the use of these? This just shows what you really are.”
The policeman, who had initially refused to file the complaint, also accused the girl’s parents, who are daily wagers, of not watching over their daughter. “Don’t you see what the girl does?,” he asked. “You say you work, don’t you ever come back home?”. A first information report was filed after the video went viral.
“This is how they behave with a girl who has gone to police to file a molestation report,” Vadra tweeted. “On one hand, there is no respite from crimes against women in Uttar Pradesh, and on the other hand, this is the conduct of those who are supposed to protect the law. The first step towards providing justice to women is to listen to them.”
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