PWD officer accused of sexually assaulting Dalit woman JE, FIR lodged

In Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, a Public Works Department official has been accused of sexual harassment and molestation by a junior woman officer. The accused officer is posted as Executive Engineer in the Public Works Department, while the victim is a Junior Engineer (JE) in the same department. This incident which happened in a rest house during the official tour has created a stir in the department. On the complaint of the victim, the police have registered an FIR against the accused under various criminal sections. The police is investigating the matter

Learn about the case in detail?

In HP’s Shimla, Chidgaon Public Works Department office, a woman coming from scheduled society works on the post of JE. The woman said, “I went on an official visit to Rohru and Mandli on February 9, 2023. An officer posted as XEN in the department was also with me. In the evening both of us stayed at Forest Rest House Mandli. The room was separate. The officer had called me to his room to talk about work. During this the officer held my hand. He started doing obscene acts with me. He talked about having physical relations with me.”

Was upset by sending obscene messages

Dalit woman JE alleges, “XEN was harassing me for the past several months. The officer used to send obscene messages on my WhatsApp as well. I refused many times. But he was not agreeing. Sometimes he called me late at night. Would have done it too.”

What did the responsible say!

In this case, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chidgaon said, “Acting immediately on the complaint of the victim, the police have registered IPC sections 341, 354A, 354D, 294, 509 and section-3 (1) of the SC-ST Act against the accused.” FIR has been registered under IPC. Action is being implemented in the matter as per rules. Till now the arrest of the accused has not been done.

Departmental action fixed after FIR

According to the sources, in this case, it is certain that the officer will be punished by the department. Preparations are being made by the Public Works Department to take action against the accused.