Pinki's treatment unjustified: Women's panel

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has said that athlete Pinki Pramanik was treated in an "unjustified manner" and it will send a team to West Bengal to meet the Asian Games gold medallist who accused of being a male and committing rape.

"We are planning to send a team from NCW to West Bengal soon, who will go and visit Pinki and talk to her and find out what's true and what's not and what is her current condition," NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma told reporters here on the sidelines of a programme.

Pinki was Wednesday freed after 26 days in judicial custody for allegedly raping her live-in partner, a divorcee and a mother of one. She has alleged harassment in custody and said everything was "pre-planned" and that she was "framed".

"She (Pinki) has been treated in a very unjustified manner. She has brought pride to our country. Whatever ill-treatment she has gone through, be it in the prison, or by the policemen... the government did not pay any attention to it and I think it is very wrong on everyone's part," Sharma said.

Hailing from Tilakdi in Purulia district West Bengal, Pinki retired from athletics three years ago. She won the gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha in Qatar and a silver at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year.