SRINAGAR: In a first, women police personnel have been deployed for night duty in at least six vital checkpoints in Jammu. The move is to instil a sense of security and ensure hassle-free travel for women travellers during the night. The duty hours for the night shift are from 8 pm to 6 am.
Armed with sophisticated weapons, the women cops will be keeping a close watch on the movement of people, especially women travellers and commuters, at six entry and exit points in Jammu. The women police personnel along with their male counterparts man the nakas.
It is for the first time that women cops have been deployed in Jammu city, which is the winter capital of J&K and also known as the city of temples. A woman cop on condition of anonymity said their deployment during night hours would ensure the hassle-free and safe journeys of women travellers in the evening.
“Our deployment will give a sense of security to the women travellers and commuters and they can travel freely without any fear,” she said. She said their deployment would help check crime against women and by women. A woman commuter Anjali termed the deployment of women cops during the night as a good move. “It will increase our safety. It is good for women travellers,” she said. “Now women can travel even alone without any fear or threat during the night. It is a big thing for the safety of the women,” she added.
Another woman cop said they want to send a message to women travellers and commuters that till “we are deployed on the roads, they should feel safe and move without any fear. We are here for their safety and security and to ensure that women travellers don’t face any problems or issues during the night hour travelling.” A senior police official said the deployment of women police personnel during night hours besides ensuring the safety of women travellers would also check drug peddling by women peddlers and other anti-social activities as well.