Imphal, May 13 2009: Lady police personnel physically frisking womenfolk, rounded up during search operation, in broad daylight and in full view of the public has drawn flak from various quarters even as a complaint has been lodged to the Manipur State Commission for Women.

Lady cops engaged in the search operation at Khwairamband Keithel area reportedly resorted to body search of many women and young girls rounded up from the market places during the course of ongoing counter-insurgency operation.

Contending that the manner in which search of the body tantamount to undermining modesty of women folk a lady advocate has taken the initiative to complaint to the Commission seeking that the panel direct the Director General of Police Y Joykumar to issue proper instruction to the lady cops as well as demanding appropriate action against those policewomen who allegedly outraged chastity of the womenfolk.

Even as the petitioner identified as one Lourembam rebika Chanu approached the State Commission for Women on the matter through the initiation of Human Rights Law network (HRLN), the latter, which is a conglomerate of legal practitioners and social activists, have formally apprised the police chief for necessary actions.

Confirming complaint lodged to the Commission as well as to the DGP, HRLN Director Meihoubam Rakesh said such an act is violative of UN norms that entails safeguarding privileges of women and upholding rights of the fairer sex.

HRLN, in its complaint, called upon the DGP to issue necessary instruction to sub-ordinate police personnel to uphold human rights while conducting frisking and checking and to preserve and protect modesty of women.

Referring to a newspaper report that published pictures of lady police personnel handling private parts of those women rounded up during the search operation, the Network urged the police chief to initiate punitive actions against the police personnel involved in insulting modesty of women so as to check repetition of the 'disgraceful acts'.

Recounting events leading to the complaint, HRLN pointed out that on May 12 evening State police personnel, including policewomen were engaged in the search operation and subsequent frisking of suspects near the Imphal Pologround area.

As a part of the counter-insurgency exercise the lady cops reportedly slipped their hands inside upper garments of women, mainly chest areas with several people witnessing the acts done in the open, the Network maintained.

further, it highlighted that the women voluntarily cooperated when the lady cops searched hand-bags, etc while some resisted when their bodies were physically searched.

Inspite of resistance the frisking continued forcibly, recounted Rakesh who opined that any suspicion could have been confirmed through use of metal detectors.

"Such acts of fondling breasts as a part of body search in open space without any enclosure in a very distressful manner amounts to insult to the modesty of women," director of the Network continued and accused the policewomen of violating all prescribed norms as well as of deviating from the obligation of being protector of the citizens.

Rakesh, nevertheless acknowledged constraints faced by the police force in the maintenance of law and order but insisted that protection of right to life and personal liberty of every citizen should be foremost duty of security personnel.

The director also cautioned that failure to take positive measures on the issue from the side of the Government would compel the Network to initiate legal action against the police chief.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer explained that in the aftermath of married women and widows apprehended from the main commercial hub for their involvement in extortion activities and as carriers of illegal fire arms, police personnel conducting sudden search operations at Khwairamband Keithel areas had become inevitable.

The officer, however, conceded that such 'unwanted' checking had been done owing to lack of coordination.

"Besides this, most of the women police personnel are new recruits," he maintained.

"Standing orders have already been given to concerned officers to honour women's right and check them out of public view," the officer claimed while assuring that all relevant measures would be taken for checking in a proper enclosure to honour women's chastity.

Reacting to the alleged frisking excesses secretary of Imphal-based Woman Action for Development Sobita Mangsatabam observed that such body checking is an open humiliation of women's modesty and unheard of in any part of the country or abroad.

Sobita recommended enclosures even if security personnel had to frisk women suspects.

Stating that cases of lesbianism and homo-sexuality prevail in Manipur, the secretary strongly advocated censorship of women police with suspect behaviour in order to avoid unwanted crimes as a consequences of the security exercise.

President of All manipur Muslim Girl Students' Union Rukshar Choudhury also lend her voice against the indecent frisking episode saying that the Government and its law enforcing agents seem to be deprived of the knowledge regarding status of the State's womenfolk.

"We strongly condemn such sordid practice.

It should be stopped immediately otherwise we well launch a series of agitation against the police authorities to teach them a good lesson," cautioned Rukshar.

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