New Delhi, Mar 17: With an aim to enhance women's safety in the national capital, Delhi Police announced the formation of "Shishtachar" anti-eve teasing squads.
These squads will soon start patrolling at public places across the national capital to curb crimes against women, including eve-teasing, molestation, and other forms of harassment. These squads have been instructed to focus strictly on enforcing the law rather than imposing personal or cultural morality on individuals.
As per an order signed by Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora on March 8, these squads will have trained personnel who will work to prevent, stop, and respond to such crimes immediately.
Each district will have at least two anti-eve teasing squads which will supervised by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) from the district's Crime Against Women Cell.
Each squad will include an inspector, a sub-inspector, and four female and five male officers from the ranks of Assistant Sub-Inspector, Head Constable, and Constable. Additionally, technical support will be provided by members of the special staff or the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS).
The main focus of these squads will be areas known as "hotspots" for crimes against women. District Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) will prepare a list of such locations, and the squads will patrol at least two vulnerable areas daily.
These squads will work in different ways, including prevention, intervention, and helping victims.
Officers will operate in plain clothes, conduct surprise checks in public transport, and coordinate with Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) drivers, conductors, and passengers to encourage them to report harassment. The guidelines also stress that victims should not face unnecessary public attention or embarrassment.
District DCPs have been instructed to ensure that squad members handle cases with sensitivity, empathy, and dedication.
It is worth mentioning that the BJP had promised to deploy "Anti-Romeo Squads" in all public spaces and set up a vast network of CCTV cameras to improve security in its 2025 Delhi Assembly Elections manifesto.
This initiative follows a similar program launched by the Uttar Pradesh Police in 2017 under its "Anti-Romeo" drive to combat harassment against women.
