‘Shakti’ seems to be the new weapon in the police department’s arsenal, which will be wielded effectively to protect women from harassment and victimisation.
With ‘women protection’ getting due importance from the government and it being also considered by various quarters of society as a priority area of policing, the policy makers got down to developing novel initiatives on this front. Going a step ahead, the police department is looking beyond protection to focus on prevention of such crimes.
The task used to be called earlier by different names like ‘SHE’ and ‘Mahila Rakshak’ teams involving different players. The previous models were supported by male members as four-wheeler drivers, but Shakti teams will be provided with four-wheelers with female drivers. Hence, the new Shakti team will be a homogeneous structure across the State, governed by the women and for the women.
Preventive action
The prime task of the teams is to identify eve-teasers and stalkers, provide counselling to errant boys and take the matter to the notice of their parents. “There are police stations to take action after a crime, but our role is to prevent the occurrence of such crimes by identifying mischief mongers and also creating awareness among potential victims,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) D. Muralidhar, who is in charge of the Shakti teams, told The Hindu.
Equipped with four mobile phones and 16 vehicles, each of the four teams will roam on a trouble-shooting mission in Tirupati East, Tirupati West, Renigunta and Srikalahasti sub-divisions to conduct awareness meetings in public places like the railway station, bus stand, village shandies and colleges.
People-friendly step
Against the rugged khaki that generally keeps the public away, these ‘women in blue’ are given a trendy uniform that will endear them to school girls and rural women. Ahead of its formal launch, Superintendent of Police (Tirupati Urban) K.K.N. Anburajan inspected the arrangements, roles earmarked for women constables and the training being imparted to them.
Apart from helping girl children distinguish between ‘good touch and bad touch’, the team’s role includes cautioning college girls found moving with boyfriends in parks, explaining them about the difference between love and infatuation, the importance of making a bright career before falling in love etc. Not just this, tracking anti-social elements and rowdy-sheeters also forms part of their job.
As dedicated mobile numbers will soon be made available, protection from eve-teasers is just a dial away!