Roadside romeos beware! The city police are cracking the whip on those harassing women at public places and on MTC buses as well.
This year, till July, as many as 114 eve-teasing cases have been booked at the 35 All Women Police Stations in the city. These include men caught harassing women in MTC buses which ply on routes in which more number of school and college students commute.
Police said most of the men who were caught, were stalking women who were on their way to schools, colleges or work.
In several cases, the women were physically assaulted by the stalkers, police said and added that those who were caught were mostly middle-aged. They are booked either under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act or the City Police Act that provides for fine or imprisonment or both, depending on the gravity of the case and the number of offences committed by the accused, police said.
Policemen and women in plainclothes were earlier deployed only at bus stands, near women’s colleges, hostel and schools. But now, they travel in MTC buses in the 12 specific routes identified a few months ago. The initiative was taken following complaints, police said.
The bus routes include 47D (Avadi-Tiruvanmiyur), 47A (ICF-Besant Nagar), 15B (Parry’s-CMDA), 159 (CMBT-Tiruvottiyur), 40A (Anna Square-Avadi), 41 (Ambattur OT- Mandaveli), 27B (Anna square-CMBT), 17M (Iyyappanthangal-Parry’s), 25G (Anna Square-Iyyapanthangal), 17D (Broadway- KK Nagar), 53 (Parry’s-Thirumazhisai) and 29E (Perambur-Tiruverkadu).
Police are deployed in areas were women are prone to eve-teasing and in buses during peak hours. Once caught, policemen on mobile patrol are alerted and the offender is taken to the nearest police station for further investigation.
Records of eve-teasing cases registered in the AWPSs are also maintained at the Anti-Dowry Cell headed by Assistant Commissioner C Shyamala Devi.