Mumbai: Two women cops suspended for assaulting girl at Ganesh pandal

Mumbai: Mumbai Police on Tuesday suspended twowomen constables for allegedly assaulting a girl at the famous Lal Baughcha Raja pandal here on September 25, an incident that sparked widespread public outrage after its video went viral on social media.

"Yes, two women constables have been suspended in connection with the incident," said Joint Commissioner of Police, Deven Bharti. DCP (Detection-1) Mohan Dahikar said the inquiry report is yet to be submitted and that more suspensions in the case cannot be ruled out.

The girl, Nandini Goswami, has alleged that she was dragged and slapped by police personnel when she tried to enter the pandal's VVIP queue Friday last. She rubbished police claims that the video clip of her being "manhandled" by some women constables at the famous Ganesh pandal was an old one and also rejected talk about her being mentally disturbed or depressed.

"It isn't an old video as claimed by the cops and I am not mentally-challenged or depressed," she told reporters here today.

Following the public outrage, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a probe and said the guilty would not be spared.

"This is a serious matter. The guilty won't be spared. We have called for a report from the police within 48 hours. In these 48 hours, we will also ensure that action is taken if anybody is found guilty. This is a very serious incident and we will ensure that no person who is guilty is spared," he had said.

On Monday evening, police had said that the initial probe suggested that the video was an old one and had indicated that the incident may have taken place earlier and not last week.

Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal in central Mumbai attracts lakhs of people during the 10-day Ganesh festival, which ended on Sunday.