The Maharashtra government will set up a special police unit to tackle crimes against women and children in every district of the state, it told the Legislative Council.
Neelam Gorhe, Vidya Chavan, Husnabanu Khalife and Smita Wagh raised the issue of rise in incidence of crimes against women though a calling attention motion in the Upper House of legislature on Friday.
They highlighted incidents of eve-teasing at schools and colleges, increase in number of assaults on women on trains and at public places, and demanded a tough policy to ensure women’s safety.
In reply to the discussion, Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar said, “The government has approved formation of a special police unit in all the 36 districts. This unit will be headed by a deputy superintendent of police (Economic Offences Wing), and consist of a police inspector, assistant police inspector, a sub-inspector, two havaldars, two police naiks and eight police constables.
These special units will probe, exclusively, crimes against women and children, and work towards improving the rate of convictions in these cases, the minister said.
“A special seven-member committee, consisting of women IPS officers and members of both Houses of legislature would be formed to look into effective implementation of women-related programmes of the government,” he said.
The state home department has approached the Railway Board and demanded additional 850 security guards to ensure safety of women on trains, Kesarkar said.
A special complaint box will be put up in schools and colleges for girls. Police will act on complaints received in the box.
Also, as demanded by several legislators, mobile CCTV vans will be stationed near schools and colleges, he said.
In rural areas, police patils would be directed to inform concerned police stations about any eve-teasing incident in the area, said the minister.
