Police Officers Suspended for Molesting Woman Pilgrim in Kedarnath

Two police sub-inspectors in Kedarnath have been suspended for allegedly molesting a woman pilgrim from Madhya Pradesh a year ago. The action was taken after an inquiry committee's recommendation was upheld by authorities, following a complaint lodged through the CM helpline in Uttarakhand.

In a significant development, two police sub-inspectors have been suspended from their duties amid serious allegations of molestation involving a woman pilgrim in Kedarnath. The incident, dating back to May 2023, occurred when Sub-inspector Kuldeep Negi and Kedarnath Station House Officer Manjul Rawat were implicated in the crime.

According to Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police (SP), Vishakha Ashok Bhadane, the woman pilgrim had visited Kedarnath along with eight friends. Due to bad weather halting heli services, she was forced to stay overnight, during which she sought help from Rawat, who assured her that a woman constable would be provided for security. Shockingly, instead of a woman constable, Negi, allegedly intoxicated, arrived at the camp and molested her.

The victim, upon returning to Indore, reported the incident via WhatsApp to the Rudraprayag SP, leading to the initiation of an inquiry committee. However, due to slow progress in the investigation, she ultimately lodged a complaint via the CM helpline in October 2023. Following a thorough investigation by Dehradun's SP Pramod Kumar, both officers were suspended, and an FIR was filed against them on June 28.