Uttarakhand Police is sensitive to women’s safety. Various changes were made to the laws relating to women’s safety after the Nirbhaya incident and new laws were also enacted. There have been sweeping changes to the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act, state police director general Ashok Kumar said. He was speaking after inaugurating a one-day workshop for female police officers from the rank of deputy inspector to assistant superintendent who investigate various crimes against women. The female officers who participated in the workshop included a total of 116 sub-inspectors, two inspectors and seven assistant superintendents.
Kumar said the workshop was organized in such a way that investigators receive full and correct information on relevant legal provisions.
He said the latest standard operating procedure (SOP) prepared by the Office of Police Research and Development regarding relevant laws and investigation of crimes against women should reach all investigators who should follow them. The task of the police is to help the victim, to ensure justice for the victim and to work in accordance with the law, he added.
Vimla Makhlaga, Project Officer in the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development, spoke about gender sensitization and victim rehabilitation; Additional Director, Legal, Hari Vinod Joshi spoke about latest amendments to IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act, Co-Director, Legal, GC Pancholi spoke about duties of investigator and police station witness care and protection.
The workshop speakers emphasized sensitive behavior towards victims, provision for rape victim and under POCSO law, establishment of an FIR in any district or state, go to the victim instead of calling him to the police station to record his statement and get his medical examination done within 24 hours among other aspects.
