Rohtak police go hi-tech to check crimes against women

"Every crime teaches a lesson and we need to learn from it," says Rohtak superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Anand, who has taken several initiatives to curb crime against women in the district after the brutal rape and murder of a mentally challenged Nepalese woman in the city in February.

Among other things, Rohtak police have chalked out a service over the internet, feature phones and WhatsApp that will enable women to receive quick police assistance after filing their complaint.

"Besides a special initiative on Facebook, we have created a special women cell for filing complaints through feature phones and WhatsApp which will help the police to provide rapid assistance," Anand told Hindustan Times.

"A message on the WhatsApp is equal to an FIR," said the SP adding, "When a woman sends an SMS or a complaint to the WhatsApp number the message will reach all police stations and our team will approach the complainant and an FIR will be registered."

On why was the region seeing a spurt in crime against women the SP said, "In my opinion, most of the criminals we arrest for crime against women, don't have any respect for them. As such criminals are cut off from the society and are also not aware about the strict laws framed by the governments in the past few years."

"Our focus is on loafers in villages. We make regular visits to every village and get information about youths involved in criminal activities," Anand said.

On how the police was making the women aware about the new initiatives, he said "We have printed thousands of visiting cards having police contact numbers and a police team has been formed to visit every school, college, university and public place to spread awareness about these steps."

"New services such as those on WhatsApp and SMS are getting good response and we are registering two-three complaints every day," said an officer of the women cell.

Moreover, the Rohtak police have sent two of its women officers for special training in unarmed combat, which they will subsequently teach at training camps in educational institutions.

Hi-tech measures

Women can send a complaint message on SMS, WhatsApp or Facebook

This message will be treated as an FIR after the police meet the complainant

The message will be sent to all police stations in the district so that prompt assistance can be provide