LUCKNOW: Known as most unsafe for women as per the 2019 National Crime Records Bureau report, Uttar Pradesh will now have a Women and Child Safety Organization headed by an Additional Director General of Police. The new setup will exclusively ensure speedy disposal of criminal cases against women and children besides taking care of their safety, the government said late on Monday.
In another tough administrative order to deal with rioters and recover cost of damage to property, the state government gave its go-ahead for forming claims tribunals in Lucknow and Meerut under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Rules, 2020. The new order will also cover cases reported during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act violence.
The orders of the tribunals will be final and no appeal would be maintainable before any court, said an official spokesperson. The government also decided to reshuffle police officers in districts where recent incidents of crime against women and minor girls have been reported. A separate unit will be constituted to ensure early arrest of accused, speedy investigations and regular and effective follow-up in courts.
The special unit will look after all existing helplines and organizations dealing with control of crime against women and children. This will include regular monitoring of anti-Romeo squads and that of the women helpline. Facilities such as 1090 women powerline, Mahila Samman Prakosht and Mahila Suraksha Prakosht will be merged for better monitoring.
Though there will be no new post of ADG, the officer concerned will be required to keep a close watch on all units and issue orders for prompt action in crimes related to women and children. In the case of claims tribunals, Governor Anandiben Patel had given her nod to an ordinance on March 16.
Post anti-CAA protests in December, the government had launched an exercise to recover cost for damage to properties. Huge hoardings with names and photos of the accused of property destruction were put up across the state capital, which were removed after the Allahabad HC intervention.
Police officers to be reshuffled
The Yogi Adityanath government also decided to reshuffle police officers in districts where recent incidents of crime against women and minor girls have been reported.