Sambalpur: Police have formed a squad for women empowerment and to check crimes against women and school and college girl students in the district.

We Squad, first of its kind in the state, will play an important role to protect women especially school and college going girl students, said deputy inspector general police (Northern range), Satyabrata Bhoi. Similar squads will be formed in other districts of the range as well, he said.

Sambalpur MLA Raseswari Panigrahi launched the programme in presence of senior police officers, students of Sambalpur University, Gangadhar Meher University, Women's College and various colleges , schools, women and social organisations.

The squad, formed under the supervision of superintendent of police Sanjeev Arora, has one deputy superintendent of police, one inspector and three men and three women constables. The squad will swing into action immediately after getting a call on 9937518333, or if a police officer is contacted to report any kind of atrocities on women, including passing comments on the streets, harassing, sending messages on mobile or social media and showing disrespect to women.

"The name and identity of the informer will be kept secret," Arora said.The police will be posted in vulnerable localities in civil uniform to keep an eye on the activities of criminals. This apart, women and school going girls will be provided "self protection" training at no cost at the Reserved Police Line.