Delhi unsafe for women, step in: Sheila writes to PM

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has written to the Prime Minister asking him to intervene in the functioning of Delhi Police. Dikshit, in her letter, cited the gangrape case to draw home the point that police has failed to ensure women's safety in the capital.

According to sources, in the letter Dikshit complained about the lax security, apathetic attitude in policing and towards issues like security of women. The letter also states that no visible improvement in policing has been witnessed in the city in the past two months, despite assurances of enhanced security for women following the gangrape incident. Dikshit requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take the appropriate necessary steps.

Sources said in the letter, dated February 13, Dikshit also wrote about functioning of the security commission, which frames guidelines on maintaining law and order and suggested that its recommendations should be considered seriously. A source said Dikshit has written a similar letter to Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, asking him to take effective steps to improve policing in the city so that women feel secure.

At the Idea Exchange programme of The Indian Express last week, Dikshit had reiterated that police should be under state government's control. During the interaction, she said except VVIP security, normal law and order policing should come under state government.

"I don't think any state government can have the wherewithal to take on the security needs of the VVIPs and diplomats who live in Delhi. But where normal policing in Delhi is concerned, it should be with the state government. At the time of the gangrape, I raised certain issues like how a policeman can reach a person's house in five minutes when a window is broken but took so long to reach this victim? Everybody is scared of going to the police station. Everybody is scared of picking up persons hurt on the roadside and taking them to the hospital because they are detained for six to eight hours," Dikshit said at the Idea Exchange.

"I feel that a policeman should be perceived as a friend. Also, the equipment being used is not always appropriate. To patrol narrow lanes, they need motorcycles. There is no point having motorcycles and PCR vans in Lutyens' Delhi and not patrolling the outer areas where these incidents happen," she said.

Dikshit said her government has asked for control of traffic police and law and order — the services that concern the ordinary citizens. (With PTI)

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/delhi-unsafe-for-women-step-in-sheila-writes-to-pm/1075741/0

Juvenile accused in gangrape faces robbery charge too

The Delhi Police on Thursday filed a chargesheet in the Juvenile Board relating to a robbery case against the juvenile accused in the Delhi gangrape case.

According to police, the six men accused of the brutal gangrape of a 23-year-old paramedic student, also stand accused of robbing vegetable seller Ramadhar Singh at Hauz Khas, before assaulting the woman and her male friend aboard a moving bus on December 16.

The chargesheet against the five adult accused in the case will be filed in the Saket court in the coming days, sources said.

The gangrape case is being heard in the special fast-track court of additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna.

Separate proceedings are being held in the Juvenile Justice Board against the juvenile accused, who was held to be 17 years and six months of age by the Board.

The chargesheet against him, known as police inquiry report (PIR), relates to the role of the juvenile in the robbery incident.

Police also filed a supplementary PIR in the gangrape case against the accused juvenile before the JJB on Thursday.

While the media is not allowed to publish the details of the proceedings in the JJB, it has been learnt that the Board, presided over by Principal Magistrate Geetanjali Goel, has taken cognisance of the chargesheets.

The Board will take up both the PIRs for arguments on framing of charges on February 28.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/juvenile-accused-in-gangrape-faces-robbery-charge-too/1074543/

Sheila gets a say in police functioning, Chief Minister is part of guiding panel

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will now have some say in the functioning of Delhi Police. The Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi have been made a part of a central panel that frames guidelines on security and effective policing in seven union territories.

In the days following the December 16 gangrape, Dikshit repeatedly regretted not having control over the police.

The security commission, set up in 2010, has so far been headed by the Union Home Secretary. However, by an order issued on January 16, the Home Ministry changed the composition of the commission for Delhi, putting the administrator of Delhi — either the L-G or the CM — at its head, and appointing the chief secretary of Delhi and the commissioner of Delhi Police as its members.

The change, giving the Chief Minister a role in law and order, has been made only for Delhi. The Home Ministry is working on "provisions regarding security commission being made in the Delhi Police Act". However, there will be no change in the reporting structure of Delhi Police, which will continue to work under the Home Ministry.

For the other six UTs — Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep — the commission will continue to be headed by Union Home Secretary. The chief secretaries and directors-general of police of these UTs, along with five independent members nominated by the central government, will be members of the commission.

The Ministry has decided that the "independent members shall be for two years, and can be removed by the central government for reasons to be recorded in writing".

The security commission was set up on the recommendation of the Justice K T Thomas committee on police reform, and was intended to "identify performance indicators to evaluate the functioning of the police service. These indicators include operational efficiency, public satisfaction, victim satisfaction vis-a-vis police investigation, response and accountability".

A senior Home Ministry official said the change has been made to "provide Delhi government and other stakeholders in the capital with sufficient opportunity to suggest measures to improve law and order and other security issues".

The Justice J S Verma Commission mentioned the question of control over Delhi Police in its January 23 report, remarking, "This ambiguity must be removed forthwith so that there is no divided responsibility in Delhi in respect of maintenance of law and order. Such a step is also essential to maintain accountability."

Women don't feel safe in Delhi: Sheila

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde over the security and safety of women in the national capital following yet another brutal assault on a young woman. "Women do not feel safe in Delhi and fears have risen after this shocking incident in Lajpat Nagar," Dikshit said. This is not the first time Dikshit has brought up policing in the national capital and has repeatedly requested that the city government should be given more powers.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sheila-gets-a-say-in-police-functioning-chief-minister-is-part-of-guiding-panel/1070426/0

Want women in crucial posts: Delhi Police

In an effort to build its image as a “women-friendly” force, post the gangrape incident last month, and to prepare women personnel for more challenging jobs in a largely male-dominated force, the Delhi Police has started an intensive training programme for 39 women inspectors.

The training, which started last Wednesday at the Special Training College (STC) in Rajinder Nagar, is focused on preparing women inspectors to assume roles with greater importance such as Station House Officers, Inspector, Anti-Terror Ops and Inspector, Investigation.

Police sources said the emphasis was on on developing investigative skills and forensic expertise among women personnel. Lessons on preservation of crime scene, gathering vital clues from the spot, finger-printing and palm-matching systems and investigating cases under the National Security Act and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act form an integral part of the training.

“After the gangrape incident last month, police have made a conscious effort to include women police officers in roles with greater interaction with public. So the training programme has specialised classes on handling sexual assault complaints, crime against women, monitoring of cases, informing complainants about progress in investigations and human rights and gender sensitivity,” a senior police officer, who is part of the training, said.

The course module also includes topics on managerial and professional excellence such as leadership skills, motivating cadres, managing a police station, disposal of case properties, vehicles, manpower deployment and daily tasking of beat officers and junior officers.

Moreover, issues such as prevention and detection of crime, integration of police vehicles and PCR vans, crime analysis, profiling and verification of criminal records, compliance with court directions and working of CCTV network systems are being taught.


Senior police officers —both retired and in service — have been enlisted to conduct the training. Forensic experts from Central Forensic Science Laboratory, medical officers who perform autopsies, defence lawyers, public prosecutors, judicial officers, members of gender-sensitive groups, National Human Rights Commission and NGOs will also provide “comprehensive” training and skills to the participants.

Special Commissioner of Police (Training and Special Cell), S N Srivastava told Newsline that the idea was to “prepare women inspectors for more crucial roles”.

“A committee interviews inspectors on basis of seniority and forwards their names to the Delhi Police Commissioner. The final selection of course participants is made by the Police Establishment Board,” Srivastava said.

Delhi Police faces a severe shortage of women police officers, especially in higher ranks such as SHOs, ACPs and DCPs.

Not a single woman police officer currently holds the rank of Joint Commissioner of Police. Last week, Centre had asked all states and Union territories to make the strength of women cops 33 per cent of the total strength and approved the recruitment of an additional 2,508 women personnel for Delhi Police.

“There are some women inspectors who are not keen to take up the posts of SHOs and inspector, investigation owing to personal issues as the jobs are challenging. Some officers are enthusiastic and ready to take up these posts but they are junior in rank. One cannot force these posts on an officer; they should be willing to take up the job. So, we are currently training around 39 women police officers and they will be put in crucial posts. This training will boost their confidence,” Srivastava said.

11 new PCR vans were launched by Delhi Police’s Special Commissioner (Law and Order), Deepak Mishra on Sunday.

They are part of the additional 350 PCR vans being pressed into service to step up security in the capital.

These new vans will patrol and secure the border areas of the NCR. They are equipped with GPS and will patrol highways. “We have provided the personnel in these vans with long-range weapons,” Mishra said.