Outcry over gallantry award to SP accused of torturing tribal woman

Women's groups in India have condemned the government's decision to award a police gallantry medal to an officer accused of ordering the sexual torture of a tribal school teacher.

A Police Medal for gallantry was conferred upon Ankit Garg, a former superintendent of police at Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh, on the Republic Day, Jan. 26. He was honoured for spearheading anti-Naxal operations in Maoist areas of Dantewada.

Garg is accused of torturing Soni Sori, a tribal teacher who was falsely charged under several cases of aiding the Maoists. Sori was allegedly stripped, tortured and given electric shocks while in custody.

Protesting against the conferring of President's Medal on Garg, Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS), a national network of women's organisations, on Thursday said it was deeply shocked and outraged at the decision.

"It is shocking to note that in spite of wide publicity and protests over SP Ankit Garg's inhuman conduct by a large number of women's and civil liberties groups, nationally and internationally, the government has deemed it fit to confer him with a gallantry award," said a statement.

"It is even more baffling to note that this has occurred at a time when the Supreme Court itself has expressed anguish at the happenings and is still looking into these violations."

"..By giving an award in the face of several complaints which have not even received a cursory investigation, both the Central and State governments are condoning this sexual violence which is being perpetrated in the name of anti-Naxal operations," WSS said.

Condemning the government's action in strongest words, the organisation further said there can be no excuse for torture and sexual violence in the name of anti-Naxal or counter-insurgency operations. "To confer awards on a person accused of such heinous acts diminishes the respect and honour usually associated with a gallantry award."

In a letter to the Supreme Court, Sori alleged that SP Garg used abusive language against her and ordered three police personnel to "punish her" by sexually torturing her for disobeying his commands to name well-known social activists, such as Swami Agnivesh and Medha Patkar, as Naxal supporters.

An independent medical examination carried out by the NRS government hospital in Kolkata under the direction of the Supreme Court has confirmed her sexual torture by recovering stones embedded in her private parts.

Sori is presently languishing in the Raipur Central Jail with a deteriorating health condition. Women's groups who have been taking up the case of her torture have been refused permission to meet her.