Four Army personnel have been booked for allegedly raping a speech and hearing-impaired woman for over four years. The 30-year-old woman has filed a complaint against the four Army personnel, who were involved in raping and molesting her for over four years in a military hospital in Pune.
The victim is a widow and has a 12-year-old son. She works as a Grade IV employee in Pune’s Khadki Military hospital. The women, in her complaint, said that she was first raped by an Army officer in 2014, when she joined the hospital. She also said that when she complained about the incident to another Army officer, he blackmailed her and asked for sexual favours. Later, two more Army officials joined the duo and raped her repeatedly for over four years. Two of the officers also allegedly made her videos and blackmailed her.
“She can’t speak, so accused took advantage of her condition and committed sexual assault. She told her colleague and he also committed sexual assault. Two other men did the same thing,” Pune ACP Kalyanrao Vidhate said. “The incident took place between January to June 2015. The victim and accused used to work in night shifts at the same organisation,” the ACP told ANI.
The woman complained about the incident to various administrative officials in hospital but her pleas were answered. The FIR was filed by the victim with the help of an NGO that took her statement with the help of sign language. The Army officials have been charged under Sections 376 (rape) and 354 (molestation) of Indian Penal Code.
Besides the police, the Army too is conducting a ‘court of inquiry’ against the four personnel, who also worked in the same military hospital at the time.
