Front-desk FIR when the beating happened in another district
At 09:20 on a Monday, a 26-year-old woman approaches the front desk of a police station in Hanamkonda. She says she was married 14 months ago and that for eight months her husband and mother-in-law have demanded ₹5 lakh and a motorcycle. Two days ago, in their home in Warangal, her husband beat her with a cooking ladle, leaving a 3 cm bruise on her left forearm. She has photographs of the bruise but no medical certificate. She left the matrimonial home yesterday and is now at her parents' house in Hanamkonda. The duty constable is alone; the station house officer is at a law-and-order meeting. The woman says she does not want to "make it big"-she wants protection and her educational certificates back. The constable must decide what information to record, whether to register a case at this station, and what to do in the next hour.
1. Should the constable register an FIR at Hanamkonda police station even though the beating took place in Warangal? Give your reasoning and state what document the woman is entitled to.
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Yes. If the information discloses a cognizable offence, the officer must register an FIR at the first station where the information is given; territorial jurisdiction is not a precondition for registration. Cruelty by a husband or relatives and a dowry demand are cognizable, and the beating causing hurt is also cognizable. The correct course is to register a Zero FIR, give the complainant a free copy, and forward the FIR to the Warangal police station that has territorial jurisdiction for investigation. Sending her to Warangal without registering would risk loss of evidence and is not permitted. The constable should record her statement verbatim, read it over to her, obtain her signature, and enter the facts in the station diary. If there is doubt about the exact section, register under the relevant provisions and correct the section later; do not delay registration for a legal opinion. The woman is entitled to a copy of the FIR.
2. What immediate protection and evidence-preservation steps should be taken in the next hour?
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Protection comes first. Ask whether she fears immediate harm, record the names and addresses of her husband and mother-in-law, and arrange shelter or an escort to a safe place if needed. Offer a medical examination at the nearest government hospital; even without a certificate, the bruise should be documented by a medical officer. Preserve the photographs by taking them into custody with a seizure memo or by copying them with her consent, noting the device and timestamps. Record the list of documents she says are retained, and send a request to Warangal police to seize the ladle and record the scene. Inform the women's safety wing, SHE Team or Bharosa centre where available. Do not ask her to compromise or discourage the complaint. Record her statement in her own words, including the dowry demand and the date of the beating, and explain what will happen next.
3. Three hours later the woman says she will withdraw the complaint if her husband returns her certificates. How should the constable respond?
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Listen and record her changed statement without pressure, but explain that cruelty and dowry-demand offences are cognizable and are not closed merely because the complainant wishes to compromise; only a court can decide compounding or quashing. Returning her certificates is not a lawful condition for withdrawing a criminal case, and any such agreement should be recorded, not enforced by the police. Ask whether she is safe and whether she is being pressured; if so, record that and consider protection. Do not mediate a "deal" or ask her to sign a withdrawal. Inform her about legal aid and the option of approaching the court. Forward the facts to the investigating officer so the court can assess the matter. The constable's role is to document, protect and let the lawful process decide-not to decide the case at the front desk.