Berhampur: City police launched a special mobile police unit consisting of police personnel and representatives from NGOs to create awareness in women about their legal rights by reaching their doorstep. Women and child development minister Prafulla Kumar Samal flagged off the mobile unit named "Suraksha".
The minister urged the MLAs and MPs to provide financial assistance from their local area development funds to purchase more vehicles for the purpose.
The vehicle will visit all the panchayats and wards to hear out to the grievances of women and take up matters for investigation on a priority basis.
"Women hesitate to come to the police stations to register their complaints and grievances against sexual abuse, trafficking and domestic violence. The initiative has been taken up to encourage women to speak up without fear and inhibitions," said a police source.
"The mobile women police unit comprises a lady police inspector, one havildar, two lady constables and two personnel from Odisha Armed Police Force or home guards. The unit is also has a complaint box which is managed by an officer. Whenever, the mobile unit will organise a camp, the staff will encourage the participants to either drop their complaints in the box or lodge it in the register. The mobile unit will then coordinate with the local police station for early intervention and redressal of these complaints or grievances," said deputy inspector general of police (Southern Range) Ashish Kumar Singh.
"The schedule of 'Surakshya' will be fixed in consultation with the inspectors in charge of respective police stations," he said.
Integrated Unit for Crime Against Women (IUCAW), supported by District Human Rights Protection Cell (DHRPC) and Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (IAHTU), is the nodal agency of "Surakshya".
"Our endeavour is to ensure that not a single case of crime against women goes unreported. We also intend to organise self-defence camps in educational institutions in collaboration with the stakeholders, including all government agencies concerned with execution of schemes and programmes related to women empowerment and livelihood," said Berhampur superintendent of police Pinak Mishra.
Chairperson of State Social Welfare Board Latika Pradhan proposed to open the branch of the Family Counselling Centre in the office of Berhampur SP to help women. The initiative will empower women and give them an opportunity to protect their rights.
