NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to register an FIR against one of the directors of a wildlife conservation NGO after some former employees accused him of sexual harassment.
In a letter to UP DGP, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said the Commission has come across an Instagram post of womenofthewildindia wherein a few women, who had previously worked with TSA (Turtle Surveillance Alliance), alleged sexual harassment by one of the directors of the organisation.
"The reported incident is shameful and condemnable in the strongest possible words. The Commission has taken serious note of the incident and, therefore, you are required to direct the concerned police officer to ensure a fair investigation is accomplished in a time-bound manner," the NCW said.
It asked the UP Police to file an FIR under relevant provisions of law against TSA director Dr Shailendra Singh.
Earlier, Heather Barrett, Turtle Survival Alliance's Chair of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, released a statement on the allegations. "We have been following the recent social media posts and have received direct communication from one individual alleging inappropriate behaviour by Dr.Singh. We take this very seriously. We understand that there is a current investigation (going on in the case) in India, compliant with Indian laws, and we await the results and will be prepared to take appropriate action," Barrett said.
"As we learn more about this situation, we want to communicate our deepest sympathies for those who have bravely shared their stories," she added.