Lucknow:
The Uttar Pradesh government's helpline for women recently received an SOS from an unlikely caller - a woman cop. The call has set in motion a probe into alleged sexual harassment by a police officer, who has now been shunted out.
An executive manning the "1090 women's power line" was stunned on Sunday when a caller turned out to be a constable from Lucknow who alleged that the officer in charge of the police station where she is posted, had molested her.
The officer, she said, had summoned her to his chambers, grabbed her hand, written the words "I love you" on her forearm and then kissed it.
The Lucknow police say the complaint is being investigated, and if true, the officer will be punished as an example. The accused officer has been shifted to police lines for a fair probe.
"Women should stop tolerating such nonsense anymore," said Lucknow's Deputy Inspector General of Police, Navneit Sikera.
At a time when rising crimes against women have underscored the need for sharper policing and stronger deterrents, the UP helpline was hailed as an achievement by the Akhilesh Yadav government, with an average of 98,000 complaints a year.
But perhaps for the first time, a cry for help came from a policewoman.
The accused officer has denied the allegation and said the complainant was retaliating after he rebuked her for poor work.