Delhi Police deploys 'Shishtachar' squads to ensure women safety, security

Delhi Police has introduced the 'Shishtachar' squads to curb eve teasing and ensure women safety and security, an official said on Thursday.

The official said these district-wise squads are keeping a strict vigil in areas around malls, schools and markets to curb crimes, including eve teasing, molestation and other forms of harassment, against women with the objective of fostering a safer public environment.

The 'Shishtachar' squads during patrolling detained people acting suspiciously as a preventive measure and asked women if they had any complaints.

In Rohini district, these anti-eve-teasing squads are checking for people who are looking suspicious or are creating hooliganism, making the environment unsafe for women to move freely in public spaces, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rohini, Vishnu Kumar.

The senior police officer said that such people were detained and taken to police stations.

If their record was clean, they were dropped back with a warning. The parents of the minors, who indulged in any such activity, were also called and they were left after proper counselling, he added.

A weekly report of the actions taken by the squad will be prepared every week on Monday, said another police officer, adding each district will form at least two squads, which will be supervised by the ACP, Crime Against Women Cell, of the concerned district.

Each squad will comprise an inspector, a sub-inspector, four female officers, five male officers and one personnel from special staff from the anti-auto theft squad for technical assistance, said a circular issued by the police commissioner.

They will be provided with one four-wheeler and adequate two-wheelers to ensure effective patrolling and quick response. The squad will also routinely move around in vulnerable areas and conduct drives in at least two vulnerable points every day.

Plain-clothed female officers will be deployed to identify offenders and surprise checks will be conducted in public transport with outreach to the DTC staff and passengers to encourage reporting.

The BJP had in the Delhi Assembly elections manifesto promised to establish Anti-Romeo squad', as in Uttar Pradesh, to enhance women's safety in public spaces.

This initiative by the Delhi Police adopts a multi-faceted approach, involving prevention, intervention and victim assistance.