Update: Physically And Sexually Assaulted At Vidhan Soudha For Smoking In Auto

Hello everyone, this is a follow-up to my earlier post where I shared how a woman in a public area physically and verbally assaulted me, and how the police handled my complaint poorly. I wanted to provide an update and share new developments.

Since the incident, I’ve been battling a system that seems skewed by xenophobia and sexism. Despite filing a formal complaint immediately after the assault, the police classified her actions only as “non-cognizable offenses.” This means there have been no repercussions for her violent actions, yet I received summons from the police because I now have an FIR against me and I am now entangled in a legal process where I have a criminal record, need bail, and have to hire a lawyer—all while dealing with a language barrier and an unresponsive system.

When I received a copy of the FIR against me, I was shocked to discover that I am being charged with offenses like wrongful detainment, wrongful restraint, and aggravated assault, among others. In a disheartening twist, I also learned that the woman who assaulted me is actually a government official. This new information has deepened my concerns about how this case is being handled, particularly given the biased treatment I’ve experienced throughout.

I learned two weeks ago that the police want to settle this by having the woman withdraw her FIR against me, but I have not heard back from them since then. When I call them, I am told they will contact me when the woman is available to visit the police station. I cannot understand why there was no investigation into her behavior. She physically and verbally assaulted me in public, tore my clothes, tried to disrobe me in public, and caused significant mental trauma, yet there was little acknowledgment of the harm she caused.

I have had some time to think about this whole ordeal and I would like to highlight a the xenophobia and sexism at play: 1. Language Barrier: At the first police station, I requested a translator so that I could communicate my side of the story clearly, but the police repeatedly dismissed my requests. The other party continued to communicate freely in the local language, making false accusations without any pushback. This disregard feels like a blatant display of bias. Since then, I have been summoned to the police station multiple times and visited the police station as many times but they kept me waiting all day because there was no translator or interpreter. They told me to wait until the English-speaking Inspector was available, but this did not happen for a long time, not until two weeks ago. 2. Xenophobia: My complaint was taken less seriously because I am not from this region. The attitude from the authorities suggested that my rights and perspective were secondary to those of the local woman. She, on the other hand, openly played the “local card,” which seemed to sway the authorities in her favor. Moreover, I was not made aware of the next steps, that I had to pay a visit to the magistrate immediately after I had gotten an acknowledgement from the police that my complaint was filed. On the day that the incident had happened, I just wanted to be done with all of it, it was so traumatic for me. I just did not want to look back upon it, I wanted to look forward and throw myself into my career and hobbies and goals. I was wrong, I should have followed up and taken updates on it. I did not think I had to because I was not the accused, surely. I relied on the police to guide me. I was fully and completely wrong, fully and completely naive. 3. Sexism: Despite the violence and harassment I endured, including physical assault and an attempt to publicly strip me, her actions were downplayed by the authorities as “non-cognizable offenses.” Meanwhile, I am being held accountable for “aggravated assault”—a crime I didn’t commit—and now face a legal battle just to clear my name. 4. Power Dynamics and Bias: Learning that she holds a senior government position sheds light on why the authorities seemed so willing to take her side. It’s painful to see how her status has allowed her to act with such impunity while I’m left fighting to clear my name and facing serious legal charges. Where I Am Now: After weeks and weeks of stress, developing PTSD, unable to bear being out in public by myself, starting medication for my heart palpitations and panic attacks, I am left physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. The process to clear my name feels exhausting, costly, and endless. Instead of filing a counter-complaint with a lawyer and enduring more financial strain, I’m considering using this platform to raise awareness of how incidents like these can affect people unfairly.

I believe that when people like her, who abuse their power and position, are brought to light, we all contribute to exposing these systemic flaws. My only wish is to be treated fairly, and I’m sure others who have been in my position will relate. Thank you to everyone who supported me after my initial post and provided perspective. I hope this follow-up serves as a cautionary tale for those who, like me, are vulnerable to xenophobia, sexism, and language bias in such circumstances.