Four Armymen ‘rape’ deaf-mute woman, booked

Pune: The Pune police on Wednesday booked four Army personnel for allegedly raping and molesting a woman with a speech and hearing impairment.

According to the FIR, the woman, a 34-year-old Grade IV employee of the Military Hospital in Khadki, Pune, was raped and molested over a span of four years from 2015. She is a widow and has a 12-year-old son.

The woman alleged that a jawan had raped her while she was posted on the night shift. She also alleged that when she told another Armyman about the incident, he initially told her that he would reprimand the accused. But, he too sought sexual favours from her and allegedly raped her, the police said. “After some days, two more personnel approached the woman and allegedly took advantage of her,” the police official said.

Later, the woman approached an Indore-based NGO run by a couple for the welfare of hearing-and-speech-impaired individuals in July.

The NGO subsequently approached the Indore police. On Tuesday night, the Indore police informed its Pune counterparts about the matter, after which it registered a case against the accused.

The Army is also conducting a court of inquiry against the accused. An official of the Army’s Southern Command said, “The court of inquiry was initiated well before the police complaint was registered.”