Air Force officer on rape case Probe: "Was subject to two-finger test"

Ground Report | New Delhi: Air Force officer on rape case; An Indian Air Force woman officer, who was allegedly raped by her colleague, has claimed that she had to 'relive the trauma of sexual assault after a 'two-finger test' as part of the so-called ' medical examination.

The officer alleged that the prohibited and intrusive two-finger test conducted by the Indian Air Force doctors has sparked widespread outrage in the past for violating the victim's right to privacy. The test is also considered unscientific.

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Air Force officer on rape case

A 29-year-old flight lieutenant rape accused was arrested in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district on Sunday following a complaint by an officer. The victim claimed that she was sexually assaulted inside her room at the Air Force Administrative College in Coimbatore, where she was undergoing training.

The woman officer approached the police after the investigation conducted by the Indian Air Force was not satisfactory. The victim also claimed that she was asked to sign some papers, which she refused. The incident is said to have happened about two weeks ago.

The Indian Air Force has also issued a statement on the incident saying, "The IAF is cooperating with the police investigation and is also conducting an internal investigation. We cannot comment further as the matter is sub-judice."

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The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognizance of the incident, in a press note, the National Commission for Women condemned the Air Force doctors and said it was "absolutely disappointed" at their actions as the two-finger test was violated. The Supreme Court's decision on the matter, as well as the right to privacy and the dignity of a woman. The National Commission for Women said the Indian Council of Medical Research had also considered the test unscientific in 2014.

No action taken

The woman has alleged in her complaint that no action was taken by the senior Air Force officers after reporting the attack. On the contrary, the senior officers tried to talk to her several times to register the complaint, the woman said.

The physical examiners at the Air Force Hospital also allegedly delayed handing over the physical evidence to the authorities. The woman's swabs were not sent to the authorities until after the complaint was filed on September 20, 10 days after the alleged assault. The room where the woman was allegedly raped was also not sealed.

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