A wing commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been booked by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on rape charges following allegations of sexual assault made by a female officer stationed at the same Air Force base in Srinagar. The complaint, filed by the woman officer, has led to an FIR under Section 376(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Budgam police station in central Kashmir, according to officials. Both officers are currently posted at the Air Force Station in Srinagar. In response to the allegations, the IAF has stated that it is fully cooperating with the police investigation, as reported by PTI. The woman officer has accused the wing commander of “continuous harassment, sexual assault, and mental torture” over the past two years, primarily by authorities at the Srinagar Air Force Station, according to Indian Express. In her complaint, she detailed an incident that allegedly took place during the New Year's Eve party at the Officers' Mess on December 31, 2023.

She claims that around 2am on Jan 1, the wing commander asked her to come to his room under the pretext of giving her a New Year gift. Once there, she alleges, he forced her into a sexual act after misleading her about the whereabouts of his family. The officer recounted her experience, saying she repeatedly resisted and eventually managed to escape. She described the mental turmoil she endured, stating that as an unmarried woman new to the military environment, she felt ashamed and devastated. Her internal struggle over whether to report the incident left her in a state of mental shock. The officer eventually filed a complaint, leading to an internal investigation by a colonel-rank officer. She reported that the wing commander was made to sit with her during the investigation on January 29 and 30, which she found inappropriate. She claims that the investigation was abruptly closed to cover up administrative errors.

She further accused senior IAF officers of not taking her complaint seriously, stating that it took two months for the station to assemble an internal committee. She expressed disappointment in the committee's bias, alleging that medical examinations were delayed and crucial witnesses were not summoned, despite her insistence. The internal committee later deemed the incident "inconclusive" due to a lack of eyewitnesses. The officer also complained of ongoing mental harassment and social ostracism, including unauthorized monitoring of her communications and harassment of those she interacted with. After finding that no action was being taken by IAF authorities, she turned to the Jammu and Kashmir Police to file the FIR, seeking appropriate legal action against those involved.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan