VISAKHAPATNAM: In order to ensure the security of women, the city police are going on full blast to form Mahila Mitra teams in every village and ward. So far, 290 women have been identified as Mahila Mitras under 23 police stations limits in Visakhapatnam. Following the awareness campaigns conducted by Mahila Mitra coordinators (women constables of all police stations) in villages and wards, many women in villages and wards showed interest to volunteer as Mahila Mitras and submitted their names.
Currently, the coordinators are checking the background of the identified women for any political or criminal background.
“During the awareness campaigns, the women responded positively to work as Mahila Mitras.
After checking the background of identified women, the selected list of women as Mahila Mitras will be imparted training and educated on legal aspects, remedies and women rights. We will educate them on how women issues can be reported to the coordinators of concerned police stations,” ACP (women police station) G Prem Kajal said.
It may be noted Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang had launched Mahila Mitra, police driven social reform movement to ensure safety and security of women at workspaces, schools and colleges recently in the city. The Mahila Mitra wing will basically handle problems such as eve-teasing, stalking, harassment or any such issues within the police station limits.
Under every police station, there will be a team of two to three Mahila Mitras in every village and ward, who will report the said issues to the coordinators. The Mahila Mitras will also visit schools, colleges, hostels, local markets or shandies and interact with the women to know about the problems they face, if any. These women will identify risk-prone zones in their areas and take measures to keep them safe for any women to move.
“This is a continuous process and those interested to work as Mahila Mitras can register their names. There will be no qualification or any ID cards needed. Once the women are imparted training, the Mahila Mitras will counsel and educate other women about how important it was to report a crime—quarrel or cases of domestic violence—and even go to the said police stations along with the complainants,” Prem Kajal said.