As decided, I went to Karanj police station today to complaint against the hawker who eve-teased me and my friend. (My friend has decided to keep away from the issue for some reason.) I walked into the police station and unlike Saturday, I was immediately asked what was wrong by the policemen.
I narrated the entire story to them and they asked me if I would accompany them to identify the hawker. When I agreed, the concerned policeman asked me to double check my decision.
We left to the market and after a high voltage drama by the hawker who initially refused to owe a shop saying he was just there for shopping and other fellow shopkeepers who chose not to speak anything on the matter, the guy finally agreed to have had issues with me. Though he added that I was trying to steal things from him shop and hence he "pleaded" me to not to do that as it was his rozi roti.
The police told me how it has become a regular nuisance by these hawkers who force women to buy things and if they don't, they abuse and have at times retorted to physically abuse them as well.
When I asked the senior policeman to write a complaint he acted as if he was writing one and assured me that his shop will be shut and he'll be in lock-up. He told me he has been booked under IPC 283.
The police also scolded this old hawker and told him how I was his daughter's age and that he should be ashamed of himself.
When I asked the police to hand me a copy of complaint, he said that I need not worry about it and I should focus on my studies.
I walked out soon after.
I came back home and googled what IPC 283 was and it read:
Section 283 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860
283. Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation.-- Whoever, by doing any act, or by omitting to take order with any property in his possession or under his charge, causes danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way or public line of navigation, shall be punished, with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees.
I certainly had not complained of public obstruction or forced property possesion. It was a case of eve-teasing and harassment.
Also, I got to know from learned people that if a complaint is registered, the police is supposed to hand me a copy of same.
On further third party inspection, I got to know that this hawker was allowed to go soon after I left and that no complaint was filed against him.
Why this joke? Did the policeman say a random IPC number to tell me how serious the case was?
Did the policeman assume that I would now be a happy kid who got the accused scolded, go back home and sing all praises about how wonderful our police force is? Did the policeman think that it was obvious enough for a normal woman like me to be ignorant about rules and law?
What conscience and logic guided them to let go of the hawker after I left?
How many innocent people would they have fooled till now?
After a conversation with the Police Inspector M.M. Mackwana - Karanj Police Station, I am supposed to go to the station again tomorrow at 4.30 pm.
