Girls stripped, forced to dance by Maharashtra Police; probe ordered

Mumbai, March 3

The Maharashtra government has formed a four-member high-level committee to conduct a probe into an incident where girls were allegedly stripped and forced to dance by policemen at a hostel in Jalgaon, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

The minister made the announcement in the state Assembly after the issue was raised by opposition members.

BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar targeted the Maharashtra government, suggesting it was not serious over the issue.

According to media reports, some girls from a hostel in Jalgaon complained that people from outside and policemen were allowed to enter the facility on the pretext of a probe and some girls were forced to strip and dance.

A video clip of the same has also surfaced.

"It is a very unfortunate incident. A four-member high-level committee of officials has been formed to conduct a probe into it..They have been asked to submit a report in two days. Action will be taken as per rules after the report is submitted," Deshmukh said.

Before the minister made the announcement, Mungantiwar said the incident is very serious.

He alleged the government was only taking note of such an incident and called for stricter action.

Replying to him, Deshmukh said, "All information about the incident is being taken. The entire video recording and other documents are sought and statements are being recorded."

Strict action will be taken as per rules after gathering all the information, he said.

Objecting to it, Mungantiwar said the police already have all the information about the incident.

"...if the police machinery is not going to take information after spending Rs 15,000 crore, why this government (is needed then)?" the BJP leader said.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said there is a video clip (of the incident) and it would have been a different case had it been just a news report.

The video clip of a girl being forced to dance after stripping her is a serious matter, he said.

"Our expectation is that you take immediate action sensitively," the leader of opposition said. PTI