The Delhi Police has decided to establish ‘anti-eve teasing squads’ in the national capital to provide real-time responses and prevent incidents of sexual harassment. According to the order, the special teams have been directed to focus on enforcing the law rather than imposing personal or cultural morality.

Named ‘Shistachar Squads’, these teams, similar to Uttar Pradesh’s Anti-Romeo Squad, have also been instructed to safeguard victims from public scrutiny and embarrassment, with a primary focus on “prevention, intervention, and victim assistance”.

“The squad must focus on enforcing the law, rather than imposing personal or cultural morality on individuals.Victims should be protected from unnecessary public scrutiny or embarrassment,” the Police Commissioner, Sanjay Aroa’s order says.

Each district will have two squads, with each comprising one Inspector, one Sub-Inspector, and eight Constables and Head Constables, including four women police personnel. The government has directed that officers assigned to these squads be carefully selected, ensuring they are sensitive, empathetic, and self-motivated.

The police will identify and compile a list of hotspots and vulnerable areas in the city that pose risks to women's safety, which will be the squads' primary focus.

“The squad should routinely move around in vulnerable areas and conduct drives in at least two vulnerable points every day. They should rotate across these points systematically, ensuring complete coverage of all such areas in their jurisdiction over a period of time The squads will operate with a multi-faceted approach involving prevention, intervention, and victim assistance,” the order, dated March 15, mentioned.

Female police officers in plain clothes will be deployed in these locations to identify and deter perpetrators. Each team will be equipped with four-wheelers and two-wheelers for swift response.

Squad members will also conduct checks on public transport, encourage victims to come forward with complaints, and collaborate with volunteers, residence associations and citizen groups to identify vulnerable areas.

Additionally, the squads will be required to submit a weekly report on their operations to senior officers. The Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Against Women) will be overseeing their functioning.

Source: India Today