VIJAYAWADA: In an initiative aimed at rendering speedy justice to victims of sexual assaults and other heinous crimes, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday inaugurated the first Disha police station in the state at Rajamahendravaram in East Godavari district. Jagan also launched an app for women in distress to get immediate response from the police.
The AP state government, after the alleged gang-rape and brutal killing of a veterinarian in neighbouring Telangana last year, came up with the Disha Act which envisages completion of investigation into heinous sexual assaults on women and children in seven days and trial in 14 working days, where there is adequate conclusive evidence, thereby reducing the total judgement time to 21 days. Fast track courts will also be set up in the 13 districts for speedy delivery of justice.
The Jagan government has planned 18 exclusive Disha police stations -- one each in 13 district headquarters and the other five in Police Commissionerate limits -- and the first of them was inaugurated in Rajamahendravaram on Saturday.
Soon after inaugurating the police station, Jagan launched the app and had first-hand experience of its functioning. Once a woman sends an SOS through the app, people at the call centre immediately alert the police vehicle near the victim or complainant's location. The police personnel in the vehicle, who include a woman police constable, will reach the location through GPS tracking and provide the necessary help to the victim.