BSF suspends jawan on charges of molesting a local woman in Manipur

The Border Security Force (BSF) has suspended a jawan on charges of molesting a local woman at a grocery store in restive Manipur last week, an official said on Tuesday.

A CCTV captured video of head constable Satish Prasad, allegedly abusing the woman donning his combat uniform and carrying an INSAS rifle, was also shared widely over social media.

A BSF officer said the incident was reported on July 20 in the Imphal West district and after the paramilitary force received a complaint, the allegation was checked and subsequently the trooper was suspended on the same day.

A Court of Inquiry proceeding has been initiated against the head constable who belongs to the number 100 battalion of the force that was sent to the state as an ad-hoc unit for security duties in the wake of the ethnic violence in the northeastern state, the officer said.

The BSF has zero tolerance for such acts and a fair investigation will be conducted in this incident, he said.

More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.