The FIR that was filed at the instance of Tharu woman who was allegedly molested by the Deputy Director of Dudhwa National Park has been cancelled. The Circle officer, Kuldeep Kukreti said that the charges invoked in the FIR for molestation and assault were found to be false and hence the FIR has been cancelled.
The incident took place on August 1 but the villagers had managed to get the FIR filed 20 days later at Gauriphanta police station in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.
On August 1, a Tharu woman was rearing some goats in the forest when Sonkar arrived with his patrolling team and questioned her on why she was rearing goats there. She replied saying that she was doing this on her own farm. Hearing this Sonkar got infuriated and allegedly hurled abuses and casteist slurs at her while also gripping her arm and pulling her close forcefully, while she resisted. When other women started gathering there, Sonkar, with his patrolling party, left while taking away two goats and one villager. This drew the villagers’ ire and they blocked the road.
The police reached on the spot and only after the forest officials let go the two goats and the villager, did the villagers regain composure.
However, now that the FIR has been cancelled, the villagers, who previously expected that an investigation will follow and the Deputy Director will be taken to court, are now agitated.
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