Kolkata, March 3 (NationPress) The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the purported sexual harassment involving a female civic volunteer and an Officer-in-Charge from the Kolkata police. The Commission has instructed West Bengal's Director General of Police (DGP), Peeyush Pandey, to provide a report on actions taken regarding this incident within a five-day timeframe.

In a post on X, the NCW stated, "The National Commission for Women (NCW) has acknowledged a deeply concerning news report published on March 2, 2026, concerning allegations of sexual harassment and misuse of authority by a police officer against a female civic volunteer under his command."

The women's rights organization condemned the event, asserting that the misconduct of a senior police officer erodes public confidence in law enforcement agencies.

"This abhorrent act is a grave infringement on the victim's dignity, equality, and her right to protection from workplace sexual harassment as enshrined in the Constitution of India and the POSH Act, 2013. Misconduct by a senior police officer severely damages public trust in law enforcement institutions," the NCW noted.

NCW Chairperson Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar has urged the West Bengal DGP to ensure accountability for the accused officer and the filing of a First Information Report (FIR).

"The NCW Chairperson has mandated the West Bengal DGP to take prompt and lawful action, including FIR registration under the relevant sections, conducting a fair and time-sensitive inquiry, implementing strict departmental measures, and safeguarding the complainant against any potential backlash," the NCW added.

The DGP has been requested to deliver a comprehensive Action Taken Report (ATR) within five days, detailing the status of the FIR, the progress of the investigation, and initiatives to enhance protections against workplace sexual harassment within police departments.

According to police sources, the civic volunteer accused the officer-in-charge from a police station in the South Suburban division of Kolkata Police of sexual misconduct.

A source at Kolkata Police headquarters reported that the alleged harassment occurred in late February.

The female civic volunteer lodged a formal complaint on Sunday.

As soon as the complaint was registered, a departmental investigation commenced against the accused, adhering to guidelines for addressing sexual harassment in the workplace.

However, as of Monday evening, there had been no report of an FIR or the case being officially filed.

Authorities indicated that further actions would be taken following the initial inquiry.

The accused officer has already been reassigned to a different police station within the state.