EVERY POLICE station in Mumbai now has a separate mobile number for women to register complaints of harassment.
These mobile numbers will be in addition to the general police helpline numbers and are meant to improve police response time in cases of crime against women and give them first priority.
This is part of the Nirbhaya initiative started by the police following the Saki Naka rape case in September this year.
Joint Commissioner of Police (law & order) Vishwas Nangre-Patil said, “Every police station now has its own mobile number meant specifically for women to reach out if they face any harassment. It has been a week since the initiative began and we are publicising the numbers.”
Another official said that Reliance Industries provided 100 mobile phones to Mumbai Police that will be free for three years.
Every police station is expected to publicize their mobile numbers by putting them up at police stations, schools, colleges and Nirbhaya vans.
The official said they will create WhatsApp groups and connect major societies under their jurisdictions. If there are any issues related to crime against women, a message on the WhatsApp group will be enough to alert the police. The Facebook pages of each police station will also display the mobile number.
Sources said the numbers were to be launched at a function by the CM. However, due to health issues, the function could not be held.
Apart from the numbers, the officer said they would start five counselling centres for each region in the city with help from funds provided by MLAs. Philanthropist Neerja Birla has also provided 23 psychiatrists who will be coordinating with these centres.
As per senior officers, they have received good response for the anti-eve-teasing Nirbhaya squads that roam around the city, with several cases being made out in the past few months.
Since the rape and murder of a woman in Saki Naka in September, Mumbai Police has rolled out a slew of measures to combat crime against women.
