Video of assault on Odisha army officer triggers row between army and police on social media

The alleged torture of an army officer and sexually assaulting his fiancée at a police station in Odisha have led to army veterans and retired police officers coming forward with allegations in the case that sparked nationwide outrage. While army veterans, including General VK Singh (retired), have termed the incident “shameful and appalling”, retired police officers – who are demanding action if any police officers are found guilty – have also questioned the couple's conduct, claiming that they were drunk.

The allegations and counter-allegations came as videos allegedly showing the couple in a brawl with a group of people went viral on social media.

The Woman claims she was beaten and sexually abused at Bharatpur police station while her fiancé, an army officer, was illegally locked in a cell by the police. The incident occurred when the couple went to file a complaint regarding a road rage case. Five police officials were suspended after the case sparked an uproar.

WHAT THE ARMY SAYS

Former Army Chief (retired) and ex-Union Minister VK Singh demanded immediate action against police personnel and all those trying to protect “the criminals in police uniform”.

“What happened to the fiancée of an army officer at Bharatpur police station in Odisha is shameful and horrific. The Chief Minister should take immediate action against the police officials and all those who try to protect the criminals in police uniform,” tweeted VK Singh.

Several veterans expressed concern on social media about the officer's alleged mistreatment, saying there was “tremendous anger” in the army.

Major Gaurav Arya (retired) urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene and tweeted: “Odisha Police misbehaved with an Army officer and that in itself is a crime. Also that they grossly abused, humiliated and tortured a woman… there is no forgiveness for that.”

Major General (retd) Harsha Kakar accused the Odisha state police of “protecting child molesters, bribes, corrupt police officers and rapists”.

“You are not defending the truth. If the army protests, the nation will come to a standstill. This can happen to organizations responsible for ensuring security. Cheap tactics,” he tweeted.

WHAT DOES THE POLICE SAY

Meanwhile, former CBI director M. Nageswara Rao and the Odisha Retired Police Officers Welfare Association have asked whether any action has been taken against the army officer for drunk driving, a brawl with engineering students and creating chaos at the police station.

However, they insisted that erring police officers must be punished according to the law.

Responding to VK Singh's tweet, Nageswara Rao said it was not right to castigate the Odisha Police for the “drunken brawl and rude behaviour of an army officer and his fiancée”. He also claimed that the couple refused to go to the hospital for a medical examination and blood test.

“In Bhubaneswar, an army officer and his fiancée consume ten glasses of alcohol and drive in the middle of the night at around 2 am, get into a fight with engineering students at around 2.30 am and then end up at Bharatpur police station, where they create such a ruckus that the staff have to seek help from PCR,” the former CBI chief said.

Nageswara Rao stressed that the police respect and honour the military and called on the army to bring the officer to justice for his “behaviour unworthy of a soldier” and for “tarnishing” the name of the Indian Army.

“It is not proper for you (VK Singh), who was once Chief of Army Staff and later Minister in the Central Government, to jump to conclusions and reprimand the Odisha Police for the drunken brawl and rude behaviour of an Army officer and his fiancée. Odisha Police was not even at fault,” Rao said.

“But I would not blame the Indian Army by asking, 'Is this the kind of discipline the Indian Army inculcates and inculcates in its officers?' Because one individual's deviance does not represent a reputable institution,” he tweeted.

The Odisha Retired Police Officers Welfare Association also made similar allegations in an open letter and demanded that a course on “conduct in public and in public office for army officers” be introduced.