This was supposed to be a police station run by women, for women and of women. After ten years since the Women Police Station was set up in Panjim, it isn’t quite the last refuge for women victims of all kinds of violence and injustice. It isn’t the first place for refuge either.
Even after more than a decade of its inception, the performance of women police station has been at the centre of debate given that its functioning has not been very effective and neither has it been able to gain the confidence of its target group complainants.
This seemingly lack of confidence has been backed by recent statistics that show only eight First Information Reports have been registered in cases of offenses against women this year, till date.
These stats are in stark contrast to the number of women-related offenses registered at various local police stations.
Situated between the Panjim police station and Traffic Cell, the women police station which also houses anti-trafficking unit and missing persons’ squad has seen officers complain of an acute lack of space. Officers say they are also in dire need of infrastructure. There is no proper arrangement to even record statements of complainants and victims, and there is no interrogation room the police station. Officers and staff working there feel an urgent need for a more spacious location
Interestingly the police station has a staff of 22 including one lady police inspector and yet they claim that the strength is not sufficient
But senior police officers, some of whom have just retired, retort such claims. Superintendent of Police Apa Teli, who retired just when the women police station was being set up, insists that there is a need to deploy efficient police officers to handle increasing number of crimes against women. “It was really for name sake” he said recalling the functioning of the police station then. “Considering the number of crimes against women, we just need efficient officers, across genders.
Another retired deputy SP Vilar Veigas is of the view that infrastructure or manpower shortage should not be used to cover up their lackluster functioning. “I don’t think staff crunch should be made a focus for everything. I don’t accept this. When you have a challenge, you have to accept this. That’s why you are a policeman. According to me, whether 22 or 25 or 20 or 15 staff, they have to give their best,” he said adding, “Whether space or not, they have to find a place and do the thing”
Clearly policing is failing because there is no commitment.
