5 victims submit 1 single complaint together?

5 women -- victims of forgery/cheating/impersonation submitted 1 single complaint(all 5 signed) to police. (All 5 women victims signature has been forged 7 impersonated repeatedly for 6 years in various government records)

Police saying this is not complaint but a pettition. FIR cannot be made with a petition. Police asking 5 women complainants to submit 1 complaint with only/any 1 victim signing it and rest 4 victims should not sign it & they will be treated as witnesses and FIR will have only 1 victim's name. 

1. Is this stand taken by police correct? should victims follow police (oral) advice?
2. there are 5 victims of crime - should there be 5 different FIR for each victim?
3. or only 1 FIR with all 5 victims name in it?
4. criminal acts/events have occured more than once (repeated continously for 6 years)...should this result in 1 FIR or an FIR for each crime event?

Thanks in advance,
Vish_bg_KAR_in