CHENNAI: A police head constable in Tiruvallur district was caught on camera verbally abusing and assaulting a woman who came to file a sexual harassment complaint at the Kanakkama Chathiram police station.

While the Tiruvallur police superintendent had suspended the Head Constable, Raman and initiated disciplinary proceedings, the incident has drawn attention, receiving condemnation from several quarters. State BJP President Nainar Nagendran took to his social media and condemned the police excess.

According to police sources, the incident happened during the early hours of Monday. A woman, identified as Madumitha, had initially filed a complaint against a man for allegedly sending vulgar messages to her phone. As there was alleged police inaction, Madumitha went to the man's home on Sunday night, with two of her friends, and explained the man's behaviour to his wife.

The man who noticed this allegedly assaulted Madumitha and her two friends, one of whom is five months pregnant. The three women immediately rushed to the Kanakkama Chathiram police station, where Head Constable Raman allegedly sided with the man and threatened the women to leave the police station.

When the women stayed grounded, Raman began verbally abusing them and charged at one of them, which was caught on camera. Further investigations are under way.