'Nirbhaya mobile' makes women feel secure: Police

NASHIK: The city police have said that 'Nirbhaya mobile' (a special women's squad that patrols only during the night to help women in distress) has managed to instill a sense of security among women at the railway station, bus stands, highway and other locations in the city. Besides, the all-women force on the van has also rushed to certain places where women were actually in need of help.
Ever since the Nirbhaya mobile started on October 4, it has helped 10 women in four domestic violence incidents and handed over four missing children to their parents.
Mrudula Naik, assistant inspector of Bhadrakali police station, said, "Every day, women officials from each police station get a turn to patrol the city through Nirbhaya mobile. The sense of security among women on the roads and bus stands during night hours is evident every time whenever we venture out and ask them if they are in need of any help."
Naik talked about an incident when a man was badly beating up his wife in Nashik Road area. "The woman had called the control room and the message was passed on to us. Incidentally, we were at Nashik Road railway station and managed to rush to help the woman. We not only managed to save the woman from the assault at the hands of her husband, but also ensured that the man was taken to the Nashik Road police station for further action."
Police sub-inspector Pratibha Chaudhary of the special branch said, "The presence of armed lady cops in uniform is a great confidence builder among women and girls during night hours. We ensure that we approach as many women as possible at bus stands, railway station and other points on the highway, where passengers generally alight from ST and private buses. The mischief mongers, who linger around such places, automatically leave the areas."
Chaudhary said even though their job was to ensure security of women, they also kept a watch on hooligans by the roadside, asking them to identify themselves and the reason why they were in the place. "There are many vehicles parked by the road side and we ensure that we check them and see if anything untoward is happening inside," she said.
Chaudhary said they intervened in a matter of domestic violence. A girl had called up the control room to complain about her father beating up her mother in the night. "The man was picked up and handed over to the Ambad police. The police later took preventive action against the man and warned him," Chaudhary added.
Gulab Gore of Deolali Camp thanked the officials on the Nirbhaya mobile after they recently arranged a autorickshaw for his wife and son around 2am from Nashik Road bus stand, as he was late to pick them up. "A fortnight ago, my wife and son came from our village in Parbhani by Nandigram Express at Nashik Road.
I was supposed to pick them up, but reach the railway station late and began to worry about them as they did not have a cellphone. Fortunately, the women officers spotted my wife and son and arranged an autorickshaw right till the Deolali Camp bus stand, where I stay. None of the autorickshaw drivers would have gone to Deolali Camp at that fare which was arranged by the women police officials."