Going the extra mile to keep Delhi women safer

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police is adding more teeth to its existing operations 'Nirbheek' and Operation 'Shishtachar', which aim at curbing sexual crimes and eve-teasing of both minor school girls and women.

Nirbheek is an initiative aimed at spreading awareness among girl students about various aspects of sexual offences, to which they may become victims, innocently or inadvertently.

The operation, launched in 2015, is gaining momentum and cops have decided to intensify it by installing more complaint boxes at school, urging school girls to open up against sexual abuse if they are face it.

The complaints are later read and scrutinised by police staff and legal action is taken accordingly.

"We have asked school girls to put in their complaints in the Nirbheek complaint box. This is more an awareness programme, in which we want more girls to come forward and share their bad experiences if any," said DCP South Romil Baaniya.

The complaint boxes have been placed at various schools, with special focus on girls schools. The idea is to have a mechanism to have communication with school girls, who otherwise are hesitant to share.

"Our lady officers are going to various schools and trying to talk to girls. This is going to develop a healthy relationship between the girls and our officers. It is more of a preventive measure and we are getting a positive response from the school girls," said Vijayantha Arya, DCP South.

Under Operation Shishtachar, which too started in 2015, the Delhi police has adopted a tougher approach and has deploying female police officers in vulnerable and crowded places, where eve-teasing is prevalent.

"Female police officers are deployed at bus stands, malls, markets and other public places. Our officers try to check the eve-teasing menace, as offenders fail to distinguish policewomen in plain clothes." Baaniya added.

This move by Delhi Police has acted as a deterrent for mischief mongers and eve-teasers at public places.

"We do have a backup male police officer., in case the situation turns hostile. This move will definitely curb the eve teasing menace." Vijayantha said.