Team Herald
PANJIM: Clicking pictures with victims of molestation and rape proved costly for Congress women’s wing chief Pratima Coutinho as Goa Police is contemplating penal action against her, taking cognizance of complaints filed by Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW), Shiv Sena and NGO Savera.
The complaints accuse Coutinho and her team of having clicked pictures with two victims of rape and their family members, and posting them on social media thereby disclosing their identity.
“Tara Kerkar and two other NGOs have complained against Coutinho alleging that she has disclosed the identity of the minor victim which is a cognizable offence under POCSO Act and Children’s Act. Therefore, Goa Police will take necessary action and allegations against her are being inquired,” Crime Branch SP Kartik Kashyap said.
In her complaint to Director General of Police Muktesh Chadner, GSCW Chairperson S Naik said the commission ignored Coutinho’s first mistake of revealing the identity of a rape victim but was forced to lodge a police complaint after the Congress Mahila Morcha president repeated the mistake while visiting the family of a victim of molestation.
“We urge you to take stringent action against Coutinho in the interest of protecting the dignity of the women of our society and to deter such politically-motivated publicity stunts at the expense of victim’s pain and suffering in the future,” the two-page complaint copy states.
