Zero FIR? Cops make a victim run around

Hyderabad: After the brutal gang-rape and murder of Disha last month, the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) issued instructions to all police stations to register complaints lodged by people irrespective of jurisdictional issues.  Zero FIR was almost mandated to every police station.

Barely a month later, a 23-year-old woman had to run from pillar to post on Sunday sought to register a harassment complaint against her former boyfriend.

The woman Swapna (name changed), a techie, said she first approached the Vanasthalipuram police at about 10 am where she waited till about 11.30 am. Though the police received her complaint, she said she did not receive any notification of her complaint being registered.

Around 2 pm, she approached the Cyber Crime division as well as the woman police station located in the Central Crime Station, who refused to register an FIR citing jurisdictional issues.

Swapna, who was desperate to find a police station that would take her complaint, said she approached the LB Nagar police around 4 pm, where they suggested that she contact the SHE team and provided her with a WhatsApp number. After she got in touch with the SHE team, she was redirected to Vanasthalipuram police station where she waited till about 6.30 pm, before being informed by the officials that a case was booked and she could go back home.

According to the complainant, she was in a relationship with a businessman for a year, but broke off with him about a month ago. Since then, he began harassing her because he started suspecting her character.

She said that he contacted her again on Saturday seeking to sort out differences. Following this, Swapna met him in the presence of her relatives and informed him that she did not want to continue the relationship.

“He was in agreement yesterday. But today he called me and threatened to make public some selfies taken earlier and end my career,” she told Deccan Chronicle.

 “After the Disha murder, I am scared for my life. There is a lot of fear among women who are being harassed by men. Even the SHE team did not respond properly,” she said.

One of Swapna’s friends who also spoke to Deccan Chronicle, said “though the home minister boasted about how women could simply dial 100 when they are in distress, it is all plain talk.”

Vanasthalipuram ins-pector A. Venkataiah told Deccan Chronicle: “We have booked a case under Section 354 (D) IPC that deals with stalking. We have also contacted the man named in the case and summoned him. He informed us that he was in Tenali and assured that he would come as early as possible.”