SRINAGAR: With Jammu and Kashmir witnessing 595 rapes and 827 domestic violence cases in last two years, the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government in the State has empowered six women police stations in the State to register and investigate all cases of offenses against the women including rape, eve teasing and cruelty.
There are six women police stations in the State – – three in Kashmir and three in Jammu.
In Jammu, the women police stations have been set up in Jammu, Rajouri, Udhampur while in Kashmir province, the women police stations have been established in Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla.
The government in an order has directed that the women police stations will now register and probe all cases of offenses against women.
“The women police stations shall ordinarily register and investigate all the cases where victims approach directly, under various Acts and Provisions of Ranbir Penal Code besides cases referred by concerned districts SSPs,” the order reads.
As per the order, the women police stations can investigate cases relating to eve teasing, outraging modesty of women, kidnapping and abduction of girls/women, rape, making gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman, cruelty to women, abetment to commit suicide, infant Marriages (Prevention) Act, 1985 (I 928-AD), prevention of beggary where women are involved, dowry restraint prohibition, for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim, sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation, sexual intercourse by a person in authority, gang rape, punishment for repeated offenders, cancellation of driving licence and trafficking of a person.
It further stated that the women police stations will also register and probe cases about trafficking of a person, exploitation of a trafficked person, habitual dealing in slaves, selling a person for purpose of prostitution, buying a person for prostitution and prevention of immoral trafficking .
“For investigation of immoral trafficking, an officer of the rank of Inspector or above will be required to be nominated for conducting raids in consolation with the provision contained in the Immoral Trafficking Act,” it added.
The women police wing in the State was established in 1965 with a staff of one Sub Inspector, 2 ASIs, 3 HCs and 27 constables. Their duties included assistance to investigating staff in arrests, searches and interrogation of women offenders and suspects.
They were also used against women demonstrations and mob and were also tasked to screen women passengers at Jammu and Srinagar airport.
The government decision to empower women police station comes after 595 rape cases were registered in the State in last two years.
Of the 595 rape cases, 213 had taken place in Kashmir and Ladakh and 382 in Jammu province.
According to official figures, 827 cases of domestic violence were also registered in the State in last two years.
Of the 827 cases, 368 cases of domestic violence were registered in Kashmir and Ladakh and 459 in Jammu province.