PUNE: A 34 year old Irani woman was allegedly beaten up badly by women cops from the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) of Pune city police on Thursday.
Her visa has expired and she wanted exit permit to go back to her country. She has been making rounds of the FRO for the last over one month.
On Thursday, accompanied by one of her Indian male friend she again went to the FRO and met ACP (special branch 2) Priti Tipre. However, she was asked to produce additional documents including rent agreement.
Watch Video: Irani woman assaulted by cops inside Pune police FRO
"When I told them that it is neither mentioned on the website nor told about it earlier, the officers present in the ACP's cabin started laughing and made fun of me. I took out my phone and started video recording. It was then that they stopped laughing. I was doing the recording when one of the female officer asked my friend to go out. She pushed me also and tried to snatch my phone. About 8-10 women cops dragged me inside a room and beat me up with kicks and fists. They banged my head on a television and wall. They stopped only when another officer came there. I got the opportunity and fled from there", the woman told Sakal Times.
When contacted an FRO official said, "Her visa has expired. She was not found at her given residence and we were searching for her. On Thursday she created ruckus when asked to produce required documents. We would have registered a case for offence under section 353 (obstructing a public servant from discharging official duty) of the Indian Penal Code. But that will give her legal cover to stay here illegally. Therefore, we will deport her now."
The woman had earlier written a letter to the Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on May 9 seeking his intervention and sought his appointment. But till now she has not got any reply.
"I've been studying in Pune for about 6 years now. I have completed B.A from Fergusson College with first class and finished my first year of masters (MA Anthropology from Pune University) with high average in the department. I started my masters in 2015.Now according to the police rules for candidates who are in India on student visa, after a limit of 5 years extension one has to return and come back with a fresh visa from Iran. My issue started at the beginning of Semester 3 (August of 2016) when I applied for a bonafide certificate as early as July while I was in Iran but didn't receive it until end of August and then I was able to return back to the university in September. Now due to the lack of attendance I missed my term papers and was marked as fail in four subjects which I have passed in the written test of both midterm and the finals. There was no alternative suggested to me to avoid backlogs. After that in my final semester I appeared for the midterms but I was not allowed to appear for my final examination due to being late for fee payment.
By the end of this term in March 2017 my visa got expired. My department announced to me that I can't get another bonafide because of being a backlog student and I can use my fee challan of next semester which was open at the end of September 2017.From March till September2017 I could not extend my visa which resulted in not being able to go home, receive money or get a house agreement. I finally got a bonafide certificate for only 3 months from November 2017 to January 2018 and was asked again to wait for another bonafide until the challan payment is announced which is again at the end of the term. I wasn't able to pay for the challan due to my visa problem. In March this year I was stopped from attending my 4th term midterm paper and asked to get a letter from the HOD to be allowed to sit for the exam. The HOD wasn't present on that day. I complained to VC office as well as the international centre and took my exam but unfortunately due to much delay in Visa and personal issues caused by it like money transaction difficulties, finding a place to stay and my issues in the department, I am no longer able to extend my visa and finish my education as I am applying for an exit visa to avoid being deported. All these events have brought adverse effect on my studies as well as my health", she has written email to VC.
She had further added, "I'm very enthusiastic about my subjects of study and I still hope I can finish it in this university. I request you to guide me through this problem of mine. As I cannot exit the country without having a valid Visa (return/exit) if you can grant me a letter stating that I am a Pune University Student till date I can refer it to the police for my exit Visa to go back home."
On Thursday midnight, she went to Sassoon hospital with her Indian friends, to get medical check up done.
