Delhi Police to drop women stranded late at night

NEW DELHI - After two incidents of gangrape in two weeks, Delhi Police are now taking a number of measures for safety of women in the city, including dropping women stranded late night to their homes.

“Such women are advised to call PCR helpline at 100. A PCR van will drop her at her residence,” Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.

The decision came two days after a 30-year-old call centre employee was abducted and raped by five men while she was returning home from work. Two weeks ago, a 19-year-old Delhi University student was raped allegedly by five men, including an auto-driver, in east Delhi.

Apart from the drops, Delhi Police have given instructions to the station house officers (SHO) in areas like Moti Bagh, Munirka, South Extension, and Safdarjung Enclave where girls from north-east live in large numbers, to meet the segment and sensitise them about security on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, patrolling and checking during night on certain roads has been intensified, Bhagat said.

Special Commissioner (Crime) Ranjit Narayan will also write specifically to BPOs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) asking them to take necessary measures to ensure safety of their women employees.

Bhagat said that Delhi Police had been insisting that any woman employee travelling alone at night should be accompanied by a security guard and that cab drivers should not pick up any stranger on the way.

“In the meeting with BPO employees, Delhi Police have asked them to check and control the vehicle movement with installation of GPS system and stressed on the verification of cab drivers. It was also emphasised that they should drop the women at their doorsteps and move only after getting telephonic confirmation,” Bhagat added.