JAIPUR: A 34-year-old woman from Mumbai has accused an Army lieutenant colonel posted in Kashmir (TOI is withholding his name) of molesting her at the Manasbal Cantonment near Srinagar in January.A court of inquiry (COI) instituted by the Army has found the officer guilty of breaching rules, but the woman has alleged the Army delayed the investigation process, with the accused officer himself trying to subject her to a humiliating cross-examination.The officer is an alumnus of a top school attended by the woman's husband, who is a civilian. The woman, who spoke to TOI over phone from Mumbai, has alleged though her husband and she raised the issue with multiple officers and on Army forums, "life became more difficult" for her after they demanded action against the officer."We had planned a trip to Kashmir in January. Since my husband is from a military school, we met the officer, an alumnus, at Manasbal on January 1. He persuaded us to stay back in the cantonment," said the woman, who is a content writer and lives in Andheri.The couple was put up in an Army guest room. "On January 2, the officer invited us for a party. During the party, I was alone in a room apart from another officer. The Lt Col walked in and touched me inappropriately, and repeated this thrice . I walked out and informed my husband and another officer," she said.The couple added they informed the officiating commanding officer the next day and even gave a written statement. On January 8, she wrote to the station commander of Manasbal. Since she didn't get a reply, in February, she wrote to J&K police. She then telephonically lodged an FIR at Safapora police station in Srinagar.Early in March, she also wrote to the defence ministry, the PMO, chief of Army staff and National Commission for Women."In the second week of March, we were asked to be present for a COI at Manasbal...In April, we were summoned through email for a COI with a new presiding officer, but we insisted on doing it via video conferencing. I was cross-questioned for hours. They even allowed the accused officer to question me. The panel asked me where he touched me, how drunk I was and how come I realized what was happening only after he had touched me thrice. At that point I stopped participating," the woman alleged.Another hearing followed in June. This time her husband was questioned by the accused. "We were called for another hearing on July 14, but could not attend it, after which there has been complete silence... I want the Lt Col to be punished. The Army should not let its personnel get away with such behaviour," she added.An Army officer authorised to speak on the matter told TOI, "The COI has found the lieutenant colonel guilty of procedural lapses, which include inviting civilians to an Army garrison without permission and hosting them in an operational area, which is prohibited. A case of molestation is being investigated by local police and the Army shall provide all necessary support."

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