WOMEN VICTIMS NEED NOT GO TO THE POLICE STATION

The victims of sexual assault in Mumbai won't have to face the embarassment and hassles involved in going to a police station to register the complaint now. They would only need to call a women's helpline. The new police commissioner of the metropolis, Rakesh Maria, announced this today. "In a sexual assault case, if the victim calls up women's helpline number 103, a female police officer will go to the residence of the victim to take down her complaint. The victim is not required to go to police station," Maria said. "In the cases of missing of a woman, child or senior citizen, the victim's family can go to any nearest police station and lodge a complaint. In case there is jurisdiction dispute, the case papers would be sent to the concerned police station by the officers of the first police station," he further said. City police are also likely to have a separate quick redressal desk for women and senior citizens so that their complaints can be immediately recorded, Maria added. "Near girls' schools and colleges, approach roads to railways stations, and roads leading to temples and praying areas, there will be exclusive women police mobile patrols during the time of the day when these areas are most crowded," he said. The police were also identifying the areas where children, women and senior citizens go for evening or morning walks, he said. "There will be special drives against chain snatchers, eve-teasers and drug-peddlers," said Maria, who took over as the Police Commissioner a few days ago.