TN police dept clarifies statement on deploying women cops for bandobust
During a recent video conference on June 30 with officers from districts and cities, the ADGP had advised not to deploy too many women police personnel for bandobust duties as part of a list of directives.
Representative illustration
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Police on Saturday issued a formal clarification regarding a directive from ADGP (Additional director general of police), Law and Order, about the deployment of women police personnel for bandobust duties during an interaction with officers on June 30.
During a recent video conference on June 30 with officers from districts and cities, the ADGP had advised not to deploy too many women police personnel for bandobust duties as part of a list of directives.
This particular statement drew sharp criticism on social media platforms, for which the department issued a clarification. “This advice was given keeping in mind the critical requirement to prioritise the investigation and prosecution of cases under Pocso Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) and other crimes against women and children. As per legal provisions, it’s mandatory to file final reports in Pocso cases within 60 days. The pendency in such cases requires immediate attention, and keeping this in mind, such an advice was given not to excessively draw women cops for bandobust duties,” the statement from TN police stated.
The objective of this instruction was to ensure that women police personnel, who play an indispensable role in recording statements and investigating the sensitive cases of crimes against women and children, are not diverted unnecessarily, the statement added. The statement also stated that women cops were an integral part of policing in TN, which has been a pioneer in recruiting women in the police force.
“Women police personnel are being hired, and they will continue to be utilised for bandobust duties such as regulating women-centric crowd in demonstrations, public meetings, protests, during the visit of VVIPs, etc,” the police said. “It’s to be understood that as per the law, certain tasks in policing shall be carried out by women cops only, like arrest of women accused, enquiring and recording the statements of women accused or women witnesses or children, handling the women crowd in bandobusts.”
Since AWPS (all women police stations) are manned only by women police personnel, the directive was meant only to ensure that day-to-day work in AWPS is not disturbed.
