Inquiry panel formed after female cop accuses senior of harassment

    Prayagraj/Varanasi, Mar 18 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has set up an inquiry committee to investigate the alleged harassment of a woman deputy jailer posted at Varanasi district jail.
    "A committee has been formed under the chairmanship of senior jail superintendent of Prayagraj district jail, Amita Dubey, to probe the allegations of deputy jailer Meena Kanojia," DIG (Prisons) Rajesh Srivastava told PTI on Tuesday.
    He added that the committee also includes two women officers from the Lucknow headquarters, and it will begin its investigation within this week.
    Kanojia had accused Jail Superintendent Umesh Singh of harassment, following which she was transferred to Naini (Prayagraj) district jail.
    In a video that went viral on social media, Kanojia alleged that Singh made remarks about her attire and other personal matters. She further claimed that he harassed her when she refused to allow him to visit her home. The deputy jailer had appealed to the chief minister for justice.
    Reacting to the incident, UP Congress chief Ajay Rai criticised the state government, saying, "In the Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency, a woman deputy jailer complained of harassment, and instead of taking action against the accused, the government transferred her."

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)