Not enough women constables in city: HC

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought the commissioner of police’s response on the number of women constables in the city.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought the commissioner of police’s response on the number of women constables in the city.

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“We are satisfied that the present strength of women constables is not enough to address grievances of women at the 90 police stations across the city,” said a division bench, comprising Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice Mridula Bhatkar.

Earlier, Public Prosecutor Poornima Kantharia told the court that 111 women officers and 1,714 women constables were catering to complainants filed by women at 90 police stations in the city.

The inadequacy of women constables in the force was brought to the notice of the court through a petition filed by a 21-year-old Kolkata resident, Sonali (name changed).

Sonali alleged that a Bangladeshi woman had brought her to Mumbai in 2000 and sold her to one Noorjahan Shaikh in Kurla, who, in turn, handed her over to an alleged pimp Rajesh Rajput. He forced her into prostitution.

In 2005, she had approached Malvani police to lodge a complaint against Rajput, but they turned down her plea.

Sonali moved the high court after her repeated attempts failed to book Rajput.

During the course of hearing on her petition, it was pointed out to the high court that there was no woman constable at the Malvani police station whenever Sonali went there.