The ministry of home affairs has asked all the states and union territories to formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for combating crimes against weaker sections of the society, including women, children and scheduled castes/scheduled tribes, and to prevent their victimisation.
In a detailed communication, reviewed by HT, the states/UTs have been asked to evolve a coordination mechanism among various departments in their jurisdiction to strengthen the law enforcement response when it comes to vulnerable sections and sensitise officers at all levels.
Issued with the approval of home minister Amit Shah, the MHA letter suggests some steps which states may take while forming the SOPs, such as setting up a response mechanism to promptly deal with incidents of crime against vulnerable, oppressed and deprived sections of society; identifying crime prone areas and then monitoring them constantly.
The MHA has recommended that an adequate number of cops should be deployed in crime prone areas for vulnerable sections.
It has said that there should be intensive patrolling in hot-spots; especially in the locality of the weaker sections, which should be visited by senior police officers periodically to instill a sense of safety and security among the people.
The police patrolling should be increased during night; number of police help booths, especially in remote/lonely stretches should be increased and number of female cops be increased in mobile police vans.
{{/usCountry}}The police patrolling should be increased during night; number of police help booths, especially in remote/lonely stretches should be increased and number of female cops be increased in mobile police vans.
{{/usCountry}}The home ministry also feels there is a need to sensitise the whole law enforcement machinery through structured training of cops at all levels.
Importantly, state/UT governments have been asked to take adequate measures for the economic and social rehabilitation of the victims of crime particularly women, SCs/STs and other weaker sections.
To stop child trafficking, bonded labour and domestic servitude, the MHA has asked states to ensure that all placement agencies are registered and conduct round the clock surveillance of railway stations and bus stands. The ministry, in March this year, released ₹100 crore to all states/UTs for upgrading and establishing Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs).
The police particularly have been asked to make sure there is no delay in registering an FIR in all cases of crimes against women, children and SCs/STs as well as widely disseminate the pan-India Emergency Response Support System helpline number 112 in schools, colleges, hospitals, taxi stands, cinema halls etc.
“Cases should be promptly investigated and a chargesheet against the accused filed promptly,” the MHA note says.
It has further asked states to sensitise the law enforcement agencies about amendments in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 2018, in which section 18A has been inserted to remove the clause where a preliminary enquiry was earlier required before filing an FIR.
“Enforcement agencies should be instructed in unambiguous terms that enforcement of rights of the weaker and vulnerable sections including SC, ST, women and children should be ensured. Police should play a more proactive role in detection and investigation of crimes against women,” the ministry added.
All the states/UTs have been asked to submit an action taken report (ATR) in this regard.
Beena Pallical, General Secretary of Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan (DAAA), said - “It’s an excellent direction given by the Centre to states. This will really help in implementation of various legal provisions for vulnerable sections, particularly the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. We see thousands of atrocities against Adivasis and Dalits which should be controlled by the states after this notification. States will have to take responsibility towards the weaker sections.”