Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 7: The Nurse of the Department of Health Services, who filed an attempt to rape complaint against the Director Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), Saleem-ur-Rehman, and the other three officials of the department two days ago, today accused the police and the Health Minister of the State of shielding the Director and other officials.
The victim who briefed the media in Partap Park, Srinagar this evening alleged that she was forced by the Health Minister to lodge an FIR as he didn’t act against the doctor against whom “I registered an attempt to rape complaint”. She said that police forced her to come to media after they sided with the accused officials.
“I had gone to the Minister to lodge complaint against the doctor. I didn’t want to come to media and lodge an FIR but Minister told me don’t come to me along with this history of sexual assault. Sexual assault on a woman looks history to him”, she said.
When asked about last evening’s police statement in which they said that statements of some eyewitnesses prima facie, negates the allegations, the victim who broke down and said: “Tell me what would I gain out of it. I have two kids and my husband is a doctor. My honor is now on roadside. Who would like to do so? I want justice from anybody who gives it to me and so far no one gave me justice…Hang me, if I am wrong.”
She said that she knocked every door for justice and took the step of lodging an FIR as a last resort. “I knocked every door to get justice but didn’t get it anywhere. I even went to NC leader who told the Minister to help this woman. We went to the Minister along with my husband but he did nothing.”
She said that she has lost faith on police as “they harassed me” and were “forcing me” for a compromise with the Director and other officials. “I went to the SHO to lodge my complaint. He called SP Imtiaz and then we went to Ram Bagh Police Station. When we went inside, there was some Tahir Saleem sitting. He asked me, are you ready for compromise? When, I said no, he made me to sit there till 8 p.m. They lodged FIR after 24 hours and I am still waiting for the arrest of these officials and so far they are moving around freely”, said the victim, who was shivering.
She said that police is harassing her since she lodged a complaint. “Yesterday I lodged a complaint against Dr Saleem and now Police is also harassing me. No one is coming forward and utter a word in my favour. This is a routine story of girls here. Our law (police and Government) gives protection and position to those who sexually assault women”, she alleged.
The victim said that she has no faith on the probe ordered by the Health Minister and rejected it. “I will not accept the investigation report of the Minister even if it is in my favour. I have come on road along with my child and my honour is at stake because of the Minister. The Director was not involved in it but it has happened due to Health Minister. I have been making rounds of his house to seek help. Instead of helping me, he told me that he can’t go against his CMO and BMO. He didn’t act against the doctor who made attempted rape on me”, she added.
Narrating her woeful tale of harassment by the director this week, She said: “Yesterday Saleem-ur-Rehman had made his plan to rape me. He made me to sit in the Chief Accounts Officer’s office and attempted to rape me. I slapped him there and glasses also broke there. I then went to the Police Station to lodge a complaint.”
“The Director Health Services called me yesterday. I went (on Thursday) to the Director’s office thrice and asked him reason behind inviting me to the office. He told me to wait in the Chief Accounts Officer’s room as there is complaint against you. I went there. There was no one and he came later and attempted to rape me”, she alleged.
The victim accused the Director Health Services Kashmir and other officials of the department of sexually exploiting the women staff. “I spoke truth, I didn’t lie. I have neither any enmity with Director Health Services nor any other official. They transfer the women of the department and then call them to their cabins and assault them sexually”, she alleged.
When asked about the CCTV footage, she said: “You go and see the CCTV footage. I have no problem in seeing that. How many rounds, the Director made me to do of his office that day, you can see?”
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