PANAJI: To check out the strength of women police staff in police stations and the condition of the police lock-ups that house women accused, the Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) is personally visiting each and every police station in the state. The GSCW will then submit a report to the government with its recommendations.
Confirming this, GSCW chairperson Ezilda Sapeco said, "On Wednesday, we visited Bicholim and Pernem police stations and on Thursday we visited Porvorim, Mapusa, Anjuna and Calangute police stations. We intend to visit all police stations by mid April and submit a report with recommendations to the government by May for necessary action."
GSCW decided to visit all police stations as during the inquiry into the complaint of 29-year-old Geeta Pednekar, alias Sanjiwani Parab, who had complained to GSCW that she was arrested by Bicholim police at night and assaulted by them due to which she suffered injuries and had to be admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital, it was found that the Bicholim police station didn't have enough women staff and the women's lock-up was in bad shape.
"We wrote to the collector and police inspector, after which the repairs were carried out. But now we want to ensure that every police station has a proper lock-up for women who are accused in a crime, as prisoners also have a right to stay in a decent place. Besides, we want to ensure that the women accused are interrogated by women police officers and for this it is essential that there is at least one woman officer of the rank of PSI and ASI at each police station," said Sapeco.
GSCW commission members said that at most of the police stations they visited they found that though there were women police constables, there was no woman PSI or ASI. This they said is not a good sign. "Women are progressing in every field but police have failed to appoint women PSIs and ASIs," said a GSCW member, who added that they will recommend to the government to recruit more women as PSIs and ASIs.
Confirming this, GSCW chairperson Ezilda Sapeco said, "On Wednesday, we visited Bicholim and Pernem police stations and on Thursday we visited Porvorim, Mapusa, Anjuna and Calangute police stations. We intend to visit all police stations by mid April and submit a report with recommendations to the government by May for necessary action."
GSCW decided to visit all police stations as during the inquiry into the complaint of 29-year-old Geeta Pednekar, alias Sanjiwani Parab, who had complained to GSCW that she was arrested by Bicholim police at night and assaulted by them due to which she suffered injuries and had to be admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital, it was found that the Bicholim police station didn't have enough women staff and the women's lock-up was in bad shape.
"We wrote to the collector and police inspector, after which the repairs were carried out. But now we want to ensure that every police station has a proper lock-up for women who are accused in a crime, as prisoners also have a right to stay in a decent place. Besides, we want to ensure that the women accused are interrogated by women police officers and for this it is essential that there is at least one woman officer of the rank of PSI and ASI at each police station," said Sapeco.
GSCW commission members said that at most of the police stations they visited they found that though there were women police constables, there was no woman PSI or ASI. This they said is not a good sign. "Women are progressing in every field but police have failed to appoint women PSIs and ASIs," said a GSCW member, who added that they will recommend to the government to recruit more women as PSIs and ASIs.