Thaindian News

New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) Delhi Police Thursday announced several steps to make the city safer for women, including by recruiting more policewomen, even as rape and molestation cases went up in 2010 over the previous year.According to Delhi Police annual report, rape cases registered last year was 489, up from 459 in 2009. A total of 585 women were molested in 2010, compared to 528 in 2009.

Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta announced that all Police Control Room (PCR) vans had been ordered to help stranded women at night and said women in distress could call 100 and get dropped to the nearest safe spot.

PCR vans with women police officers had also been deployed around women’s colleges and schools, he said at the Delhi Police annual press conference.

The focus on women follows increasing incidents of rape reported in 2010, including the gangrape of a BPO employee from the northeast.

Gupta said the Maurice Nagar police station — near Delhi University — will be renamed North Campus police station. The Dhaula Kuan police station will be similarly renamed South Campus police station.

“There would be a women’s help desk at all police stations, managed by women officers. At present, there are three women deputy commissioners in three districts and four women SHOs in police stations. We will increase this number soon,” said Gupta.

According to the commissioner, women police beat staff had been deployed in areas prone to crime against women. Intensive patrolling of areas where people from the northeast live was on.

“A 24X7 specialised mobile team will deal with domestic violence. (A total of) 5,206 women have been trained in self-defence in the 41 camps in Delhi in 2010,” added Gupta.

Police teams will also conduct surprise checks in buses, markets, universities and areas prone to eve-teasing, especially in the mornings and evenings.