DCW sends notice to Delhi Police over ‘assault’ on Kashmiri girl

A day after a Kashmiri girl residing in south Delhi took to Twitter to report alleged trespassing and manhandling by her landlady, whom she accused of targeting her for being a Kashmiri, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Thursday issued a notice to the Delhi Police over the issue.

"The DCW has taken suo-moto cognisance of media reports of harassment and assault of a Kashmiri girl residing in Delhi," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said in the notice issued to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast.

The DCW has sought a copy of the FIR, details of any police personnel being present at the spot as alleged and action taken against them, and a copy of the complaint received in the matter on earlier occasion(s), if any, and details of action taken thereon.

"Has any accused been arrested in the matter? If yes, please provide the details of the same. If not, please provide the reasons for non-arrest of the accused," said the DCW, as it directed the police to respond by October 19.

The Delhi Police have also been asked to file a status report and detail the steps taken by them to ensure the safety and security of the girl and her friends.

On Wednesday night, the Kashmiri girl had taken to Twitter to report alleged trespassing and manhandling by her landlady. The girl also accused the landlady of targeting her for being a Kashmiri.

The girl posted a picture, showing the physical injuries she suffered during the alleged manhandling.

The police have registered a case based on the allegations levelled by the girl. The landlady too filed a police complaint, which is also being looked into, officials said.

The police said they received a PCR call on Wednesday at the Amar Colony police station at 8.40 p.m. regarding a theft in a house.

On reaching the spot, it was found that the fourth floor of the house in East of Kailash was rented to one Noor Bhatt and her sister, both residents of Rajbagh in Srinagar district. The landlady, Taruna Makhija, had made the PCR call.

"So my landlady enters my house along with a man that I have never seen in my whole life and starts to call me and my friends ‘TERRORISTS' just because we are from KASHMIR that too, in front of a police official. They trespassed, broke in and took our money, furniture," Noor alleged in a series of tweets.

The landlady has also submitted a written complaint which is being examined.

"The girls entered our house in June this year. However, after making initial payments, they started delaying paying rent and also roughed up the BSES employees once. We have also lodged a police complaint," said Makhija.