2 yrs on, no case at women police station

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 23

Two years after coming into being, the women police station in Sector 17 here is yet to register a case related to crime against women and children.

Only cases related to dowry harassment are registered at the police station while cases related to crime against women and children are registered at other police stations in the city, defeating the purpose of having a women police station.

The women cell was established in 1987. Fifteen years later, it was converted into the Women and Child Support Unit (WCSU). The unit was upgraded as the women police station in August 2015.

The then UT IGP, RP Upadhyay, had decided that in addition to dowry cases, which were already being dealt with by the WCSU, all cases related to crime against women and children would be registered and investigated at the women police station.

March 2017, the UT Administration had issued a notification that complaints related to crime against women should be dealt with by the women police station. It was also decided that offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act will also investigated by the police station.

Almost two years have passed since then but not a single case of crime against women and children has been registered at the police station. Sources said staff crunch at the women police station to investigate cases was one of the reasons for this.

In 2018, around 90 cases of rape and over 100 cases of eve teasing and stalking were registered at different police stations in the city.

The Evolution

• 1987: Women cell of the Chandigarh Police established
• 2002: Women cell at Sector 17 converted into Women and Child Support Unit (WCSU)
• 2015: In August, the WCSU upgraded as women police station
• 2017: In March, UT Administration notifies that complaints related to crime against women will be filed at the women police station