NEW DELHI: The Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry against a Colonel-rank officer after the wife of a Lieutenant Colonel filed a police complaint accusing him of making suggestive gestures to her and beating her up.
“The Army always takes such indiscipline very seriously. A Court of Inquiry has ordered into the matter to ensure the case is dealt with appropriately,” said Gargi Malik, spokesperson of the Central Command in Lucknow, where the accused, who belongs to 9 Gorkha Rifles, is posted. In her complaint, the woman claimed that the incident happened last week when she along with her 11-year-old son had gone to watch a movie at the Surya Sainik Officers’ Institute on the cantonment premises. She alleged that the Colonel had first made “obscene gestures” to her and that when she objected, he turned aggressive and abusive. Then, the Colonel allegedly roughed her up in the presence of several Armymen and their families. Even though her son kept asking other Armymen to intervene, no one came to her rescue as the Colonel is holding an important post in the Central Command, she further alleged.
The woman said she had first approached the Army Wives’ Welfare Association sub-area president but she was not heard properly and subsequently, she approached the Woman-in-Distress helpline 1090, which advised her to report the matter to police. She then lodged an FIR, following which the Army ordered a separate probe.