Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police on Thursday registered a zero FIR over the alleged assault on NSUI activist Athira Vijayan in Delhi during a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR exercise, officials said.
The Museum police station registered the zero FIR after Vijayan filed a complaint with the state police chief.
A zero FIR can be registered at any police station, regardless of where the alleged crime occurred.
According to the FIR, the incident occurred at Connaught Place in Delhi on October 13 during a flash protest by the National Students Union of India (NSUI).
The FIR invokes various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, attempt to disrobe a woman, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, verbal abuse and criminal intimidation.
The FIR does not name any police officials or others as accused, officials said.
According to the FIR, the complainant and other activists were transported by bus to Connaught Place, where they were forcibly dragged out onto the public street. The complaint also alleges that attempts were made to tear the complainant's clothes.
Subsequently, near the Connaught Place police station, the accused assaulted her by striking her on the face and forcibly holding her arms behind her back. They also kicked her in the private parts and lower abdomen and attempted to snatch her phone, the FIR claimed.
"When she resisted this, they tightened the shawl she was wearing around her neck and threatened to kill her. By acting in concert, actively encouraging and assisting one another, the accused caused injury to the complainant's neck through constriction with a shawl — necessitating hospital treatment — and inflicted humiliation and mental distress upon her, thereby committing the offences under the aforementioned sections," the FIR further claimed.
Police said that under the provisions of the BNS, a case can be registered anywhere in the country, regardless of where the incident occurred.
The investigation will, however, be transferred to the police station concerned in Delhi, where the incident took place, officials said.
The complainant had earlier alleged that Delhi Police did not register a case despite her complaint.
Meanwhile, Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said there had been serious lapses on the part of Delhi Police.
"It is clear that there has been a serious mistake on the part of the Delhi police. The NSUI leader was assaulted brutally. They took her to a place without CCTV cameras, assaulted her in a very bad way, and caused her serious injuries all over her body. Even her clothes were torn," Chennithala alleged while speaking to reporters.
He said that despite Vijayan lodging a complaint with the police in Delhi, no case was registered.
"That is why she sent the complaint to me and the DGP as well. Since she is a youth activist from Keralam, the Museum Police has registered an FIR and will proceed with legal action. Participating in protests and expressing dissent are not such major criminal acts," he said.
As the alleged incident took place in Delhi, other legal aspects are being examined and further steps will be initiated, he added.