Tripura to raise number of women police personnel

Agartala: The Tripura government is to raise the number of women police personnel to at least 30 percent of the total strength, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said here on Thursday.

"Currently, 13 percent of the total police constables and 10 percent of the total police force are women. Our government`s target is to raise the percentage to at least 30 in the next few years," Sarkar said at the passing out parade of 144 newly-recruited women police constables.

He said: "A few years ago, there were only one to two per cent women in the police force. The number of women police personnel and officers is being increased to deal with the rising crimes against women and other issues."

Sarkar, who holds the Home portfolio, asked the Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla, and Chief Secretary (also Home Secretary) Sanjeev Ranjan, both of who were present at the function, to initiate the process to create an exclusive women`s battalion of police.

The Tripura government has already set up seven all-women police stations, and four more such police stations would be set up soon.

The Chief Minister asked the police to organise various sports meets in each of the 76 police stations areas regularly to build close relations with the people.

"Besides recruiting additional women police personnel and setting up of all-women police stations, the state government has taken a series of steps to check crimes against women," said Sarkar, who completed a record 19 years as Chief Minister of the northeastern state.

To boost community policing, PRAYAAS committee has been formed in each police station area to deal with policing involving all sections of people including former policemen, veterans and renowned personalities of the locality.

"I request the PRAYAAS committee to give priority to women issues, suicidal activities, drugs and crimes against children," the Chief Minister added.

The 144 police constables, whose passing out parade took place on Thursday, were given over 10-month training at the K.T.D. Singh Police Training Academy in Narsingarh, 15 km north of Agartala.

Academy Principal Sudeshna Bhattacharyya said women constables were trained in 18 courses (outdoor and indoor) during the 10-month training period, including in disaster management, community policing, yoga, law, civic management and human rights.

"We will start training Deputy Superintendent of Police-level officers soon at the academy. The Bureau of Police Research and Development has also chosen the academy for its Bharat Darshan programme," another senior police official said.