Chandigarh: In a bid to curb cases of violence against women, the Haryana government on Saturday said it has taken a series of steps, including setting up 21 Fast Track Courts (FTCs) for speedy trial in such cases of heinous crimes.
The State Government has also recently posted a woman officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police to assist the Additional Director General of Police, Crime against Women and has set up the FTCs for speedy trial of heinous crimes against women, the State Assembly was informed here today.
Directions have been issued to register cases within 24 hours against the culprits involved in rape and molestation cases.
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the State Government is fully committed to ensure complete safety and protection of women in the State.
In order to exclusively monitor cases pertaining to crime against women in general and Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe women in particular, the State Government has appointed a senior officer in the rank of Additional Director General of Police, Hooda informed the House.
While Hooda was responding to a question during the question hour about steps taken by the state government to check cases of crime against women, Surjewala was replying to four calling attention notices, which had been clubbed into one, relating to issues pertaining to crime against women particularly rape, molestation, eve-teasing and also chain snatching.
A four-digit women helpline number '1091' has been activated to provide instant help to women in distress. Police Control Room vans exclusively staffed by woman police officials have been introduced, Surjewala added.
Surjewala said that Hooda had urged the Central Government to have a single helpline number throughout the country for women in distress so that it could easily be identifiable and easy to remember.
To a question raised by BJP's Anil Vij that Haryana has witnessed rising incidents of crime against women in the recent past, Surjewala said that efforts were being made to curb such incidents.
He said that the Police Department has set target for the Investigating Officers to complete the investigation in cases of sexual assault in less than a month and of molestation and sexual harassment cases within 15 days.
In order to handle women and child complainants, Women and Child Desks handled by women Police officials have been established.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013, 21:17
