Woman flying officer alleges rape, mental harassment by Wing Commander at Srinagar's Air Force Station

Jammu and Kashmir Police is investigating a complaint of a woman flying officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF), who has alleged “sexual assault, mental harassment, and torture” by a Wing Commander backed by senior officers at Air Force Station, Srinagar.

The 26-year-old woman officer alleged that sexual assault took place in Wing Commander’s room around 2 am on Jan 1 after the accused asked her to come to his room to receive a New Year's gift.

The continuous harassment has severely impacted her mental health and driven her to suicidal thoughts, she said in her complaint adding, “I have endured the torture for too long, and I am at a breaking point."

“I am living in constant fear under round-the-clock scrutiny and my social life has been completely disrupted. The harassment has driven me to suicidal thoughts, and I feel utterly helpless. I cannot carry on with my daily life, and my social interactions are closely monitored and discouraged by authorities,” she added.

The accused sexually assaulted her despite a stiff resistance by her.

“I repeatedly asked him to stop doing it and resisted it tooth and nail. Finally, I pushed him and ran away,” she alleged.

“Earlier he lured me to his room, where he said he had kept all the gifts. He showed me his room. I asked him where are mom and kids. He replied that they are in some other accommodation,” she claimed in the written complaint.

“He said that we would meet again when his family leaves. It took me a while to recollect what had happened to me. I was afraid and didn't know what to do as there were such instances earlier also wherein I was discouraged from reporting,” she mentioned in her complaint.

The accused visited the victim’s office after the incident and called her over to Station Headquarters, Wing 1.

“He behaved as if nothing happened and there was no sign of remorse in his eyes. I revealed the incident to two lady officers. They guided me to file a complaint. I went into a mental shock being new to the atmosphere in forces,” she mentioned in her complaint.

“I was embarrassed and shattered to the extent that I lacked the courage to report. I can't describe mental agony being an unmarried girl, who has joined forces and was treated in such a heinous manner,” she adds.

The woman officer accused senior IAF officers of the station of backing the accused and ignoring her complaint.

“After two months, an Internal Committee (IC) was formed on April 2. It was very heartbreaking for me to see the bias of Station authorities to aid the sexual offender. The medical examination was done on the last day of the investigation by the IC after I insisted multiple times,” the FIR mentioned.

A middle-rung Jammu and Kashmir Police officer privy to the investigations said that an inspector rank officer has been tasked to ascertain the facts of the case and complete the probe.

“IAF has so far cooperated with police as the investigations are in its primary stage. Police will collect the facts about the case and then summon the accused officer for questioning,” he told Education Post wishing anonymity.

“Since the incident happened over eight months ago, certain things including the medical examination, eyewitness account, etc. may take some time. But the investigations will be taken to its logical end and if found guilty, the accused will get punished under relevant sections of law,” he added.

Notably, an FIR under Section 376(2) of the IPC was filed at Budgam police station in central Kashmir on Sep 8, a day after the woman officer submitted a written complaint.

The woman officer in her complaint said that she urged the Internal Committee to summon a witness who had been made to “run away” from the camp area before giving his statement.

“But the Committee did not summon the witness despite being provided “all facts and bringing out lies and contradictions” of the tutored witnesses,” she alleged.

“I was forced to approach the J&K Police to lodge an FIR after no action was taken by the IAF authorities,” she added.