(Lucknow, August 31): Her crime: She refused to vacate her house. Her punishment: She was stripped and brutally beaten by Kanpur policemen last Friday.

But 25-year-old Maya, a Dalit, has decided not to sit quiet on the matter and has filed an application with the SC/ST Commission, seeking juctice. The panel has asked Kanpur’s DGP to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Maya, who met SC/ST Commission chairman Sriram Arun today, cannot even sit properly as the station officer and sub-inspector of Kanpur's Nawabganj police station did not just strip her naked but also beat her mercilessly. Maya, a native of Tirua in Kannauj, reportedly went to Kanpur a month ago and lived in a small hut near KESA colony in Nawabganj with her three children.

One day, one Udaybhan came and asked her to vacate the house. When she refused, he allegedly threatened her and later returned with his aides and bashed up Maya and her relatives.

Later, the police allegedly took Maya and her relatives to the police station. While Pappu and Narendra were allegedly subjected to third degree torture, SI S.P. Singh allegedly asked a female homeguard, Snehlata, to beat up Maya. Snehlata reportedly tried to save Maya when the SI threatened to pour acid on her genitals.

The SI then allegedly stripped her and brutally hit her genitals, as SO Shashikant Dikshit and constable S.K.Tiwari looked on. After being allegedly forced to lie naked for an hour, Maya dressed and went home. But she was allegedly taken into custody again and released the next day.