Women cops insensitive to victims’ problems: Activists

Mahila thana cops are insensitive to the complaints and problems shared by women. A constable asked me to get a powerful source if I wanted to lodge my case.

Dr NIKITA SARIN, dental surgeon

Misbehaviour by women cops of the mahila thana with professor Roop Rekha Verma, former VC of LU and a social worker, on October 29, is not a lone case of police insensitivity. After the incident, several other women victims and social workers have spoken of unsavoury experiences at the mahila police station.

Activists have claimed that the behaviour of women cops leaves much to be desired. “They abuse, don’t listen and often treat victims as culprits,” said Madhu Garg, a social activist.

Garg described cases where women who had gone to seek help at the mahila thana were made to sit on the floor, scolded and blamed for raising their voice against their husbands. “Their behaviour was so bad that those who visited once abstained from going to the thana again,” she said.

Dr Nikita Sarin, a dental surgeon who has been fighting a case against her mother-in-law and husband for violence and blackmail, said, “The cops are really insensitive to the complaints and problems shared by women. In my case, a constable at the mahila thana asked me to get a powerful source if I wanted to lodge my case.”

Some women also allege that women cops ask for bribe and show no sympathy to their condition.

A victim, Gunjan Gupta shared, “I had reached the (mahila) thana in a bad state after being beaten by my husband. They (the cops) denied me any help and instead asked me for money in that helpless situation.”

It may be recalled that the station officer at the mahila thana had allegedly misbehaved with Verma on October 29, when she had gone there to inquire about a case that was being followed by her NGO, Saajhi Duniya. Reportedly the SO did not hear out Verma and misbehaved with her, rudely cutting her short.

Sharing her experience, Verma said, “It wasn’t that she was busy with some files or cases. She was doing something on her mobile phone and simply refused to listen to what I wanted to say.”

Social workers feel that the incident highlighted the level of insensitivity of women officials at the mahila thana and are demanding the removal of the SO concerned.

Talking about the case, SSP Rajesh Pandey said that an inquiry was being conducted by ASP crime Gyan Prakesh Chaturvedi in the matter and that action would be taken only after the report was submitted.