In a gloomy state of things, there are several police stations in Dehradun, where not even a single woman constable or sub-inspector is working.This is bizarre when looked against the backdrop of crimes spiraling against women and girls across the State. Things are almost the same in police stations located in the mountainous parts, as the number is far from reassuring.
In the police station in Chakrata under Dehradun district, there is no woman police officer and constable. The figure is two constables in Mussoorie police station, while it is four in Clement Town. The policemen working in these stations face difficulties when a woman comes to register a case of violence against herself or her daughter. They approach the district police head, seeking woman police officer to solve such cases.
However, the women cops, who are well politically connected, are deputed at places like vigilance, district headquarters and police headquarters and other places. Women’s representation is around eight per cent in the State’s police department. However, in Dehradun, things are the worst. There are several police stations where women representation is zero or negligible. In most of these police stations, only one sub-inspector is deployed.
In Kotwali police station, Dehradun, around 19 sub-inspectors and 104 constables are deputed. Out of them, there are two women sub-inspectors and seven women constables. Their going on leave lands the state police officers in difficulty.
Discrepancy between the platitudes and facts become clear when the State Government’s vow to reserve 30 per cent posts in the government jobs, including police, for women is juxtaposed with the presence of just eight percent women in the police department.
Moreover, State police department had sent several proposals for the recruitment of women in police department to ensure that women’s representation rises from eight to 10 or so. However, things are hanging fire with the State Government dragging its feet.
The figure is abysmally low in several police stations. For instance, Kalsi police station has a solitary woman constable while two women constables are there in Sahaspur. In Vikasnagar, there is one woman SI and two women constables. There are three women constables in Ranipokhari, one SI and four constables in Raiwala, Rishikesh and Dalanwala; one SI and five constables in Cantt and Prem Nagar; two SI and four constables in Nehru Colony and one SI and six constables in Raipur, it is learnt.