Amaravati, AP: After a public uproar, the Andhra Pradesh police on Tuesday arrested a government official, since suspended from service, in charge of brutally assaulting a differently-abled woman colleague in office after she advised him to wear a face mask.
The incident, which happened at AP Tourism Hotel at Dargamitta in Nellore town on Saturday afternoon, came to light today when video footage obtained from the closed-circuit television cameras of the hotel went viral on social media.
Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) announced the suspension of Deputy Manager C.A. Bhaskar who assaulted the woman colleague.
The police in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district on Tuesday arrested a senior employee of the state tourism department for beating a woman colleague with a stick and abusing her for asking him to wear a face mask as part of Covid-19 norms.
“We have arrested the accused, C Bhaskar, working as deputy manager at the AP Tourism Hotel and he has been sent in judicial remand. A case was booked against him under Section 354 (assaulting a woman intending to outrage her modesty), 355 (using force to dishonor a person) and 324 (causing injuries using a weapon),” Dargamitta sub-inspector of police K Venugopal said.
“The accused was arrested and is being sent in judicial remand. Nellore district police are extremely sensitive to any violation or crime against women. Women safety is our top priority,” it tweeted.
Director-General of Police Gautwam Sawang praised the Nellore police for taking quick action.
The state government earlier this year launched 18 Disha police stations across the state for speedy investigation and trial of cases related to sexual offenses against women.
Though other colleagues tried to stop him from assaulting her, he kept raining blows on her. Later, the woman, with the help of other colleagues, lodged a complaint with the police.
Unable to bear the assault, another woman present in the office can be seen rushing out. A man who walks in finally snatches the object from Bhaskar”s hands.
Police said the official got angry and felt insulted after the woman colleague advised him to wear the face mask to contain the spread of Coronavirus.
Police said the accused’s samples were collected for COVID-19 test as per the protocol and he would be produced before a magistrate.
“Crime against women is unacceptable. We condemn the Nellore incident and action has been taken against the accused for manhandling the lady official,” the police chief said.
The DGP said Disha police station would be taking up the further investigation in the case and directed it to ensure that the probe is completed within a week and a charge sheet filed.
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