Goa women’s panel to probe ‘blouse-ripping’ cop

PANAJI - The Goa women’s commission will probe a senior police inspector who has been repeatedly caught ripping off women’s blouses during public agitations and protests, an official said Tuesday.

Speaking to IANS, chairperson of the Goa state commission for women (GSCW) Ezilda Sapeco said the commission had called for footage from local TV news channels of Monday’s protest outside the State Secretariat and would convene a meeting of its members on the issue soon.

“This is not the first time that we have received a complaint against police inspector Devendra Gad. I have seen the photographs which have appeared. His blouse tearing habit is really unbecoming of a police officer and vulgar,” Sapeco said.

On Monday, Gad, a police station in-charge at Porvorim, had ripped off the blouse of a lady activist who was protesting outside the State Secretariat in Porvorim.

The activist was among seven dozen members of village action committees from rural Goa who were protesting against mega-housing projects and rapid concretisation of villages despite assurances from the chief minister.

“Yesterday’s (Monday’s) incident is deplorable. But this is happening as a trend with this inspector. The last time he had ripped off a woman’s blouse, we had received a written complaint which was unfortunately withdrawn later,” Sapeco said.

Speaking to IANS, a senior police officer said in a law and order situation such scuffles could happen.

“You cannot predict what could happen in a law and order situation. It might have been an accident,” the officer said.

–Indo Asian News Service