E-Paper
Now, Ludhiana women can lodge police complaints at Saanjh Kendras
Ludhiana currently has 14 Saanjh Kendras spread out across the city, which facilitate people in getting police verification of tenants/labourers, passport verification, police clearance certificates, permission to hold gatherings and use loudspeakers, besides lodging missing persons’ complaints. Now, cases of crimes against women, elderly persons and children can also be lodged here.
Women wanting to lodge complaints against dowry harassment, domestic violence etc no longer need to visit police stations as they can do the same at Saanjh Kendras in the city.
Ludhiana currently has 14 Saanjh Kendras spread out across the city, which facilitate people in getting police verification of tenants/labourers, passport verification, police clearance certificates, permission to hold gatherings and use loudspeakers, besides lodging missing persons’ complaints. Now, cases of crimes against women, elderly persons and children can also be lodged here.
A team of two women police officers have been deputed at all Saanjh Kendras in the city for helping women lodge their complaints. Police stations with no Saanjh Kendras under their jurisdiction can set up a separate room in the area to take such complaints.
The initiative has been started under Punjab Police Mahila Mittar (PPMM) scheme.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, headquarters) Ashwini Gotyal, who is the nodal officer, said, “Sometimes, women hesitate to visit police stations, fearing that male officers may taunt or trouble them. Due to this fear, they keep suffering in silence and are not able to lodge complaints against their perpetrators. So, we have decided to station 65 women cops at Saanjh Kendras across the city so women can approach them for help there.”
The ADCP said the scheme was initiated a week ago and they have already started getting complaints from some women in distress.
In most cases, women officers counsel the complainants and try to resolve the issue but if it cannot be resolved, the matter is moved to police stations and wings, the ADCP revealed.
She added that women can also dial 112 or 181 for police assistance. Cases of thefts, snatchings and other crimes can also be lodged online, through an email.
