All-Women Police Posts set up to encourage more females to speak up

The establishment of All-Women Police Post (AWPP) in Khan Market and Shradhanand Marg will ensure that women don’t hesitate in approaching the police to register complaints, feels sub-inspector Pooja Saini, who is manning the former.

“Now, no woman will hesitate in coming here; she can speak about her problems openly. Because the body language of a male [policeman] can be unnerving, a woman can’t possibly reveal her entire problems,” SI Pooja said.

“In some cases, women can do all the work required of men but it is not the same when it’s the other way round. For example, women police can handle molestation and rape cases better. The aim of establishing this post is that women should not feel difficulty entering it,” Pooja added.

The AWPPs, which include CCTV surveillance systems, were inaugurated on Sunday by the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena and Police Commissioner, Sanjay Arora.

The L-G said, “Such police posts are the need of the hour. Female victims will now be able to tell their problems freely to women officers and the force will immediately ensure a resolution.”

At the Khan Market booth, SI Pooja is supported by nine subordinate woman officers.

When Patriot reached the post, she was trying to accommodate a homeless lady, thrown out by her family, in old age home.

“I have been posted here for the last eight months with the male staff. Working with only women is a new experience. It is challenging too.

“We have a 10-member team, including two head constables, investigating officer, as well as a constable. All are very hardworking and dedicated. They are able to do any work and can handle CCTV and computers. They know English too,” she told Patriot.

The police post in Khan Market was established in 2016 and is located in the market. The AWPP at Khan Market comes under the limits of Tughlak Road Police Station while the Shradhanand Marg post comes under the jurisdiction of Kamla Market Police Station in the central district.

Pooja, who has been working in Delhi Police for around a decade said further, “There is no need to refer a case to thana since we can sort everything out here. We have medical, investigating officers (IO), patrolling, computers among other facilities. The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), which is an online based system, have also begun.”

Khan Market, which is one of Delhi’s most famous and expensive markets, was established after Partition in 1951. Currently, this is one of the famous places for VVIP and politicians. It is surrounded by residential complexes, including Golf Links, Lodhi Estate, Shahjahan Road, Pandara Road, Rabindra Nagar and Sujan Singh Park.

On February 18, LG also wrote on ‘X’ in a thread, “Historic step taken. Inaugurated two All Women Police Posts (AWPP) at Shraddhanand Marg and Khan Market today. Equipped with all required gadgets and especially trained women personnel, these AWPP will help in addressing concerns of women, especially at the former location.”

At the time of Patriot’s visit, two women constables were handling tasks on computer, and later patrolled the market on a scooty.

Thwomen police constables happily told Patriot, “This is a good initiative.”

Women’s safety is still one of the biggest challenges in the national capital.

According to the annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released by the Union home ministry, Delhi has been the most unsafe metropolitan city for women in the country for three consecutive years. The national capital has been recording an average of three rape cases daily.