Women’s organisations are up in arms against the alleged delay in inauguration of the much-awaited women police station in the temple town of Bhadrachalam.
There has been a long-standing demand for setting up of a women police station in Bhadrachalam, the tribal heartland of the State and a famous pilgrimage centre, to effectively curb crimes against women, mainly domestic violence.
The proposal to set up a women police station in the pilgrimage centre took a concrete shape earlier this year with the construction of a spacious building for the proposed facility in the core area of the temple town.
The delay in inauguration of the women police station has evoked sharp criticism from the All India Democratic Women’s Organisation (AIDWA).
“We have organised a relay hunger strike and submitted several memoranda to the authorities concerned seeking immediate opening of the women police station a couple of months ago, but to no avail,” says AIDWA district president M. Renuka.
“The new building has been remaining idle,” she said, pointing out that several distressed women continue to suffer domestic violence mainly dowry harassment in silence due to reluctance to discuss the sensitive nature of their complaints with male police officers.
“It is imperative to allot the requisite female police personnel and start the women police station at the earliest to counsel distressed women and ensure speedy investigation into cases of crimes against women and justice to the aggrieved,” she noted.
Complaint boxes should be arranged and CCTV surveillance enhanced at public places in the temple town for better safety and security of women, she suggested.
The new building is yet to get the necessary furniture and administrative approval for sanction of requisite staff for the police station is awaited, said an officer in the police department.
