Think twice before giving missed calls to women. Or else, be ready to face the consequences.

Criminal investigation department (CID) inspector-general (weaker sections) Arvind Pandey on Tuesday issued directives to the superintendents of police asking them to ensure that complaints were lodged and action taken against the offenders.

The directives came in the wake of a two-day workshop on women empowerment held at the police headquarters, which was attended by the station house officers of women police stations across the state. The workshop concluded on Wednesday.

Pandey said: “Giving repeated missed calls to women is a serious offence. It robs the peace of mind of the victims. We have decided to treat repeated missed calls as a crime of stalking under section 354D (i) and (ii) of the Indian Penal Code.”

He, however, said the calls should be ignored if the caller’s intention was not harmful. “Making one or two calls will not be counted as a crime. This may happen with anyone. But if someone gives repeated missed calls, the person intends to harass the women,” he clarified.

The IG also instructed the SHOs of women police stations to organise such camps in the areas falling under their jurisdiction. “The complaints of the victims should be taken with utmost seriousness, failing which stern action would be taken against the officers concerned,” he told the police officers.

Pandey earlier visited different educational institutions in Patna and gave tips to girls and women to defend themselves from stalkers and eve-teasers. The city has witnessed a sharp rise in the incidents of crime against women in the past few months.

The IG added that he would monitor the investigation into the cases lodged by the victims. The missive has evoked wide response from girls, who were the worst suffers. “I must appreciate his move, which intends to rid us of mental agony we undergo due to anonymous calls on cellphones,” said Babita, a student of JD Women’s College.