Tripura OC, Lady SI Suspended After HC Pulls Up Police Over Woman’s FIR

CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA: The Tripura Government has suspended the Officer-in-Charge of Airport Police Station, Sushanta Deb, and Lady Sub-Inspector Jamuna Roy for allegedly failing to register a complaint submitted by a woman, Lipika Lodh. The action was taken after the Tripura High Court intervened in the matter and directed the authorities to take strict action.

The case involves Lipika Lodh, a resident of Gandhigram, who alleged that she was assaulted by her daughter-in-law. About a month ago, she approached Airport Police Station to lodge an FIR. However, instead of registering her complaint, she alleged that the police harassed her and that the Officer-in-Charge, through the lady sub-inspector, threatened her to withdraw the complaint.

After repeatedly failing to get her FIR registered, Lipika Lodh approached the Superintendent of Police (SP), West Tripura. According to senior human rights lawyer Purushottam Roy Barman, the SP directed the Officer-in-Charge of Airport Police Station nearly 25 days ago to register the FIR. Despite the direction, no case was registered. With no action taken by the police, the woman moved the Tripura High Court seeking justice.

During the hearing, the State police informed the High Court that Officer-in-Charge Sushanta Deb and Lady Sub-Inspector Jamuna Roy had been suspended from service. The court also directed the State police to submit an affidavit explaining the entire sequence of events. The High Court further ordered the police to provide security to the woman, considering her allegations that she had been threatened.

Advocate Purushottam Roy Barman, who is representing the petitioner, said the case raises serious questions about the functioning of the police. He said that if a police station in Agartala fails to follow the law despite clear directions from senior officers, it raises concerns about the situation in other parts of the state.

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