Nirbhaya Squad launched in Alwar to check harassment

The squad will patrol schools and colleges in daytime and keep an eye on malls, parks and other spots in the city, where harassment incidents are reported

The Alwar police formed an all-women team on Friday to crack down on people harassing women and girls on city streets.

The Nirbhaya Squad, formed to check harassment of women and girls on streets, flagged off in Alwar on Friday.(HT Photo)

Launching the team, named Nirbhaya Squad, district collector Rajan Vishal called it a milestone in women’s security. “Six scooters are part of the squad that will roam the city and keep an eye on people who harass girls and women,” Vishal said.

“It will create a sense of security in the minds of women, and will check incidents of street harassment.”

District police chief Rahul Prakash said a sigma team had earlier patrolled schools and colleges to prevent harassment and catcalls. “But members of the team were men, so women and girls did not feel comfortable complaining to them about harassers,” he said.

“The Nirbhaya Squad has policewomen to give girls and women a sense of comfort in discussing harassment.”

The squad, on receiving a complaint or noticing harassment, will inform the police control room for action, Prakash said. “We have divided the city into six beats to be patrolled by the squad members on six scooters.”

The squad will patrol schools and colleges in daytime and keep an eye on malls, parks and other spots in the city, where harassment incidents are reported.

Lauding the move, Alwar sub-divisional magistrate Shubham Chaudhary said, “The squad will provide a sense of security to women who can move freely in the city.”

Honda company gave six Activa scooters to Alwar police to launch the Nirbhaya Squad. Two women constables will move on a scooter, with the pillion rider holding a stick.

“We will donate more scooters to Alwar police after the success of this initiative,” said Harbhajan Singh, an official of the Honda company.

Such squads have been launched in Udaipur and Jaipur. In Churu district, police have launched Operation Romeo, a drive against people who harass women in city areas.