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Punjab Police's Saanjh Rahat Kendras handled over 1,000 cases in two years, says DGP
In a remarkable initiative, Punjab Police's Saanjh Rahat Kendras have registered over 1,000 cases, offering essential support to women in distress.
Punjab Police's Saanjh Rahat Kendras, set up to provide counselling and support services to women in distress, have registered 1,069 cases and screened 1,656 cases over the last two years, according to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
The police said the four centres, located in Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana and Jalandhar, have evolved into a community policing initiative offering counselling, crisis intervention, legal assistance and rehabilitation support to women facing domestic violence and other forms of distress.
The initiative began with two trained counsellors at each centre and has since expanded with the involvement of additional counsellors, Punjab Police said.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said the centres were helping women overcome traumatic experiences and rebuild their lives through coordinated support from counsellors and police personnel.
He cited the case of a woman from Mohali who approached the police alleging domestic violence and threats to her life from her husband. According to the DGP, the woman had previously been in contact with the police in connection with another case.
The Saanjh Rahat Kendra team arranged immediate assistance, ensured her safe transportation and escorted her to her parental home, where she could stay in a secure environment, he said.
In another case, Yadav said the team assisted a woman living alone who had been admitted to hospital in critical condition. Police personnel and counsellors persuaded her to undergo treatment, facilitated her admission to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and coordinated medical care for nearly two months.
According to the police, the woman suffered a miscarriage during treatment and continued to receive counselling and emotional support from the Saanjh Rahat Kendra team. After recovering, she was also assisted in securing employment and reconnecting with her family.
Yadav said such cases reflected Punjab Police's effort to strengthen public safety through trust-based community policing and coordinated intervention.
Punjab Police said the Saanjh Rahat Kendras are part of a broader network of women-focused initiatives operating across the state.
Under the Jagriti programme, Punjab Police Mahila Mittars have reached 12,482 schools over the past nearly two years and conducted awareness sessions for 11,75,010 children in the 6-12 age group. During the same period, 76,299 principals, teachers and school staff members also participated in sensitisation programmes, according to official figures.
The police also said that, under the Women Help Desks initiative, 69,329 outreach programmes have been organised during the last five years on issues including cybercrime, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, child marriage, the Juvenile Justice Act, drug abuse and gender sensitisation.
Special DGP (Community Affairs Division) Gurpreet Kaur Deo said the Saanjh ecosystem, established in 2011, now operates through more than 530 Saanjh Kendras across districts, sub-divisions and police stations in Punjab.
She said the network provides citizen-centric policing services while helping bridge gaps in access to counselling, legal assistance and police support for women facing difficult situations. According to Deo, the Saanjh Rahat Kendras complement this wider network by providing integrated assistance to women in distress and facilitating timely intervention wherever required.
