A video allegedly showing a member of the administration of SNS Institutions harassing a woman staff member is going viral on Facebook. However, Coimbatore District police are unable to do anything about it as the woman in the video has opted not to file a complaint.
The video was first shared by the Coimbatore-based media outlet, The Covai Post. The video post says that the victim filed a complaint but later withdrew it, it even questions if she had been "forced" to do so.
Watch the video here-
Superintendent of Police R Pandiarajan said that they could proceed with it only if the victim files a written complaint. When Edex got in touch with the Thudiyalur police officials, they said that the woman had, in fact, approached them with a complaint of this sort but did not file a complaint, "She came to us with some information but within 30-45 minutes she decided not to file a complaint. So now we cannot do anything about it because there is no official complaint," Mani, DSP in charge of the area, said.
When we asked him if the video was not proof enough for any action, the inspector said that the victim had not approached them with the video so there was little they could do, "We have seen the video too but the faces haven't been identified, unless the victim comes forth, we can't do much," he said.
“At the backdrop of the incident, boyfriend of the girl, who was aware of the sexual advances, had set a trap to demand money from the culprit. However, as the negotiations did not go well, they lodged a complaint with the police and leaked the video,” said highly placed sources in the rural police.
The official said that after exploring the possibilities to book the college chairman, we would also check for the people who used the police and other agencies as a tool for their vested interest.
When asked about this, a functionary from the private college management, denied it and said that the video was fabricated. “People with the vested interest have fabricated it and we would inquire in it and would move forward for a legal action,” the functionary said.
However, a day after the complaint was withdrawn, as the video went viral in the social media, around 300 students of the private college near Saravanampatty protested in front of the college demanding the police to take action. The police rushed to the spot, assured them of taking action and pacified the students.
