City Police propose all-women police station

 

With an aim to speed-up investigations in crime against women cases, the Nagpur police has sent a proposal to the office of Director General of Police (DGP) for setting up of first all-women police station in the city. Along with crime against women cases, the police station officers will also investigate cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police station is likely to be approved by the police headquarters very soon as the Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) Ajit Pawar had announced in the Legislative Assembly during last year’s budget session that all-women police stations would be established in every district headquarter in the State.

 

It may be mentioned here that many activists have already submitted a memorandum to the top police officials for setting up all-women police stations in Nagpur. Sources said that the police station would likely be set-up at DG bungalow, near Gymkhana in Civil Lines. Two women Police Inspectors and 240 women police personnel would handle the work of the police station. Existing ‘Bharosa Cell’ and ‘Damini Pathak’ would be merged into the police station. It may be mentioned here that a total of 525 cases of rape, 931 cases of molestation and 373 cases under Dowry Prohibition Act were registered in Nagpur in last three years. A police official said that it was difficult for the policemen of normal police stations to especially focus on crime against women cases as they remained overburdened with the regular crime and bandobast duties. Establishing a special police station for crime against women would definitely give a much-awaited relief to the victims, he said, adding that dispensing quick justice would deter incidents of violence against women in the second capital. Better investigation and ‘watertight’ chargesheets in crime against women cases would help the police to secure conviction in the cases, he further added.

 

Special training to be given to women cops: Joint CP Joint Commissioner of Police (Joint CP) Aswati Dorje informed ‘The Hitavada’ that a special training would be given to the women police personnel about how to handle the rape survivors with sympathy. “These survivors need special mental support with legal and medical aid,” she said and added that all POCSO Act cases and women trafficking cases would also be investigated by these police officers.