Singappen Special Task Force accused of moral policing women after viral video

CHENNAI: The Singappen Special Task Force has come under scrutiny after a video of the patrol force in Tirupur surfaced, in which a woman police personnel tells fellow women to 'correct their mistakes' to keep themselves safe.

"There are a lot of mistakes on our part too," the cop is seen saying. "If we correct ourselves, we can stand our ground and question those who do wrong," she said.

The video has garnered much traction online, with users criticising the remarks as victim-blaming and moral policing rather than addressing the structural issues behind crimes against women.

"The Rs 380+ crore allotted is for buying dupattas for women," commented a user on X, referring to the practice of asking women to cover themselves up to protect themselves from assault.

Some users also questioned what the police officer meant by "our mistake". Another user said the task force was created for public safety, not moral policing.

Following the video, some users called for proper training to be provided to the women officers before they are deployed.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (June 9) had launched the Singappen Special Task Force, a women-only patrol force aimed at enhancing women's safety and curbing crimes against women in the State.

Backed by a budget of Rs 354.67 crore, the force will initially operate through 70 field units across Tamil Nadu and is expected to expand to 270 units with a sanctioned strength of 2,545 personnel.