New things that happened last year: All-women police station

“We have heard about the all-women police station, but it is in Panchkula town, which is 20 km away. So women from villages do not prefer to go there,” says Kanta Devi, a resident of Khatola in Barwala.

Mass awareness drives on the lines of Orange the World Campaign recently concluded by the Panchkula police have helped women and young girls in the city overcome their inhibitions by interacting with women police personnel. However, it’s a different story outside the city.

“Ever since it was set up, most of the activities of the police station have been limited to the city. Had there been an all-women police post at Raipur Rani or Barwala, the women police will get visibility,” says Salim, a councillor from ward no. 20 consisting of over 40 villages.

While most of the complaints pertain to domestic abuse and matrimonial dispute that require policewomen to act as counsellors, women residents in Kalka and Pinjore emphasise the need for more patrolling by women cops.

“Young boys riding bikes often create a ruckus outside colleges here and pass remarks at girls. We have made complaints to the local police, but they visit only once in a while. Girls are often seen walking timidly outside colleges,” says Kusum Gupta, a woman shopkeeper at Pinjore market.

ACP Purnima Singh, head of the all-women police station, says, “We have received complaints, we will address them. The Haryana government has already decided to set up all-women sub-stations in rural areas, as extension of the all-women police station. So, this will help us in reaching out to more women in rural areas in the coming year. We will hold more interaction with them too.”