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 resulted in 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 at the Srinagar Air Force Station, according to Indian Express.
She detailed an incident that allegedly occurred during a New Year’s Eve party at the Officers’ Mess on December 31, 2023. She claims that around 2am on January 1, the wing commander invited her to his room under the pretense of giving her a New Year gift. Once there, she alleges he forced her into a sexual act after misleading her about his family’s whereabouts.
The officer described her experience, stating that she resisted repeatedly and eventually escaped. She reported feeling ashamed and devastated, and was initially reluctant to report the incident due to her newness to the military environment.
The officer filed a complaint, leading to an internal investigation by a colonel-rank officer. She claimed that the wing commander was made to sit with her during the investigation on January 29 and 30, which she found inappropriate. She alleged that the investigation was abruptly closed to cover up administrative errors.
She further accused senior IAF officers of not taking her complaint seriously, noting a two-month delay in forming an internal committee. She criticized the committee’s bias, claiming medical examinations were delayed and crucial witnesses were not summoned. The internal committee later deemed the incident “inconclusive” due to a lack of eyewitnesses.
The officer also reported ongoing mental harassment and social ostracism, including unauthorized monitoring of her communications and harassment of her associates. After finding no action being taken by IAF authorities, she approached the Jammu and Kashmir Police to file the FIR, seeking legal recourse against those involved.
