TNI Bureau: After the Centre, Odisha government is taking some measures to check the crime against women ensuring their safety in the state. The growing number of rape/gangrape cases forced the state government to review the law and order situation after the Delhi gangrape case that created a storm across the country.
Expressing concern over the women’s safety, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called a high level meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday evening to discuss the issue and take some initiatives to control crime against women in the state.
As per the directives, FIR would be lodged on the basis of women’s complaint. The victims and their families can lodge the complaint at any police station in the state. While there was provision of framing chargesheets within 120 days in the CrPC, Naveen directed the police to complete investigation into rape, molestation and other heinous crimes within 60 days.
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The CM said that Mahila (Women) cells will be set up in each SP office of all the districts. Also the women and children desks of 537 police stations will be active. A lady police officer will be in charge of that cell to deal the case.
Following the path of the Centre, the state will recruit 537 lady sub inspectors and they will be posted at each police station. The government will also appoint women prosecutors for taking the rape victims’ cases. The fast track courts will be set up in the state to hear the case on the gangrape-cum-murder and dowry related cases.
The state and district level forensic science laboratories will be active to complete the test related to rape or sexual assault. Apart from these, the government has ordered to tighten the police patrolling system in all the towns across the state. In order to ensure safety to women, who will be trouble, a dedicated helpline telephone will be set up in all the districts.