The Assam Police on Tuesday suspended the officer-in-charge (OC) and a female constable of a police station in Darrang district for allegedly stripping and torturing three women – one of them in an early stage of pregnancy – during interrogation in an abduction case.

This followed a complaint lodged against Mahendra Sarma, the OC of Burha police station, by the Assam State Commission for Women (ASCW).

The police from Darrang had on September 9 come to Guwahati in search of one Rafiqul Islam accused of abducting a girl in the district’s Burha police station. Instead, they picked up three of his female relatives.

Aided by the female constable, Mr. Sarma allegedly stripped and thrashed the trio throughout the night besides threatening to shoot them if they complained against him. Members of their family claimed the police also sexually abused them.

The victims lodged a complaint with the district’s Superintendent of Police Amrit Bhuyan on September 10 but investigation into the case was allegedly delayed. The case attracted attention after photos of the bruises on the victims’ bodies were uploaded on social media.

“We have placed the OC and the female constable under suspension. Deputy Inspector General Brajenjit Sinha has been asked to investigate,” Assam’s Director-General of Police Kuladhar Saikia told The Hindu.