Women's safety not top priority for cops: Guj IPS officer

Gujarat cadre IPS officer Anil Pratham has been shocked over the incidents of rape across the country, and expressed unhappiness over the approach of police on issues pertaining to women's safety.

Pratham, a 1989 batch officer currently serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in the state's women's cell, took to social media platforms Twitter and Facebook on Sunday to express his concern over such crimes.

"I read three newspapers in the morning. All over India we have news of rape. Gujarat reported 3 rapes in last 48 hours. I share my unhappiness over the approach of stakeholders (also police) on the subject of Women empowerment to bridge gap with citizens," Pratham tweeted on Sunday.

On his Facebook page, the official said he was shocked, and thought that being the ADGP in women's cell since 2012, it was his moral and constitutional duty to share his unhappiness over the subject of women empowerment.

"Gujarat has following initiatives and schemes for Women Protection. 181 Women Helpline, Mahila Suraksha Samiti, Gender Resource Centres, Police station based support centres, Suraksha Setu, coordination with NGOs, friends for women and child," he stated.

Pratham claimed that he had conducted conferences and also issued circulars at regular intervals to police about proper implementation of these schemes on the "instructions of government and the DGP".

"Is women empowerment their top priority? Is the above (mentioned schemes) not enough for Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police of cities and districts? Why police failed to bridge the gap with citizens by not effectively using above schemes?" he asked.

The official said it was true that the central and state governments have pumped in huge amounts money in various schemes throughout the country.

Asked about his social media posts, Prathan said on Monday that women's safety has not been given the priority it deserves.

"I was on this position (ADGP-women's cell) during the Nirbhaya incident of 2012 (the rape case in New Delhi) also. I shared my personal views on social media because I felt it (women's safety) is not given top priority which it actually deserves," the IPS officer told reporters in Gandhinagar.

However, Gujarat State Commission For Women's chairperson Leelaben Ankoliya said all women-centric schemes were being implemented properly.

"The state government implements all women-related schemes properly. The commission also runs many women-oriented programmes, such as 181 helpline, Nari Adalats and awareness workshops across the state," she said.