LUCKNOW: In a major announcement amid rising concern over women safety in the state, Uttar Pradesh DGP on Monday said the state police personnel will from now on take it upon themselves to escort stranded women home between 9 pm and 6 am. “Those stranded in late-night hours have to dial 112 and the police will help them reach home safely,” said a senior police officer posted at the DGP headquarters.
In a related development, the state police came down heavily on the personnel of Bihar police station on whose watch the Unnao rape survivor was set on fire. Seven police personnel, including the Station House Officer (SHO), were suspended for ‘negligence of duty’.
Sharing the details of Unnao suspensions, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said, “Ajay Kumar Tripathi, SHO of Unnao’s Bihar police station, along with six other police personnel, has been suspended, for negligence on duty in connection with the death of the rape victim.”
The development came hours after the 30-year-old victim was laid to rest at her native village amid tight security arrangements on Sunday. Those who got the axe included beat in-charge Arvind Singh Raghuvanshi, Inspector Shri Ram Tiwari, beat constable Abdul Wasim, constables Pankaj Yadav, Manoj and Sandeep Kumar.
Fast-track courts
Amid the outrage over the death of the Unnao rape victim and the increasing crime against women in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath cabinet on Monday approved a proposal to set up 218 fast-track courts in the state in the near future to ensure speedy disposal of cases related to rape and criminal offence against children under POCSO Act.