SAMBALPUR: WE (Women Empowerment) Squad, which was formed to check eve-teasing, stalking and voyeurism has succeeded in cracking down on offenders and rounded up 54 eve-teasers in the last 100 days.
The district police had introduced the special squad on June 14 and a 10-member team, headed by a DSP, was formed under the direct supervision of Samablpur SP Sanjeev Arora to make women feel secure in the city.
Arora said of the 54 eve-teasers rounded up by the WE Squad, majority of them are juveniles. The squad brings the eve-teasers to the police station to warn them on their wrongdoing and its members provide counselling to make them aware of the consequences, including legal action, for indecent behaviour towards women, he added.
This apart, parents of the eve-teasers are also asked to come to police station. Even the eve-teasers are warned in front of their parents. Besides, the eve-teasers are asked to sign an undertaking not to indulge in such unlawful activity in future. Moreover, they are also asking the offenders to come to the police station at regular intervals, he said.
The aim of the squad is to curb eve-teasing, stalking and voyeurism and nab offenders, who physically or mentally harass women through phone calls, messages, e-mail and social media.The squad conducts surveillance at vulnerable places to nab the offenders, indulging in eve-teasing and stalking, red-handed. The squad also collects evidences such as video and audio recording and photographs from the spot before bringing the offender to the police station.
A woman in distress can contact the WE Squad through phone call, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Sambalpur police mobile app and helpline numbers like 100 and PCR-8015250001. The cell phone and WhatsApp number of the WE Squad is 9937518333, he informed.This apart, the squad is also creating awareness about women safety and related legal provisions through workshops in schools and colleges.