IAF Officer Sexual Abuse: A woman flying officer in the Indian Air Force has filed a police complaint accusing a Wing Commander of rape and harassment. Based on her complaint, an FIR has been registered at the Budgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir, where both officers are stationed in Srinagar, the NDTV reported.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed its full cooperation with local authorities during the investigation.
According to the complaint by the IAF officer, she has been subjected to sexual harassment, assault, and mental torture for the past two years. She detailed an incident from a New Year’s party on December 31, 2023, where the Wing Commander allegedly coerced her into his room under the pretext of giving her a gift and then forced her into oral sex.
Despite her repeated pleas to stop, she was unable to escape but finally managed to leave the room by pushing her harasser away.
The IAF officer said it took her time to process the incident due to fear and prior discouragement from reporting similar instances. She eventually confided in two female colleagues, who advised her to file a formal complaint.
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Following this, a Colonel-rank officer was appointed to investigate the case. However, the investigation was mishandled, she claims, as the accused was allowed to be present during statement recordings, and the case was prematurely closed, allegedly to protect the administration.
The IAF officer later filed a fresh application with the IAF’s internal committee, but she claims the investigation was biased, and her medical examination was delayed. Her repeated requests for leave or a transfer to avoid interaction with the Wing Commander were also denied, forcing her to continue working in an environment with her alleged abuser.
The internal committee concluded the probe in May 2024, citing a lack of eyewitnesses and closing the case. The flying officer, however, argued that sexual assault would not typically occur in front of witnesses. “Isn’t it common sense that someone would not do sexual assault in front of a witness?” the NDTV quoted her as saying.
She has complained of ongoing mental harassment and social isolation, with her communications reportedly monitored by authorities. The distress has led her to experience severe mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts, as she continues to endure what she describes as “torture” at the hands of the authorities.
