From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: Despite a State Government directive for creation of women police stations in all the then seven districts of the State, the Ri Bhoi District Police Department has been found wanting as till date a separate police station to exclusively deal with crime against women and children is yet to be created in Ri Bhoi.
According to a notification of the State Home Department issued on October 14, 2009, the government had notified that there will be a women police station for dealing with crimes against women and children in each of the seven district headquarters.
Existing women cells in the police stations would be upgraded into women police stations, the notification states.
According to the notification, cases shall be initially registered with the local police station having jurisdiction in the place of occurrence and the concerned police station shall take all the necessary preliminary steps after which such cases shall be subsequently transferred to the concerned women police station for investigation and prosecution.
The notification reads that the women police station will investigate crimes against women such as rape, molestation, kidnapping/abduction, murder for dowry by burning, murder for dowry by any other means, attempt murder for dowry by burning, attempt murder for dowry by any other means, cruelty by husband/relatives, abetment to suicide, importing of girls below 18 years, importing of girls between 18 to 21 years, the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, Indecent Representation Of Women as per provision of Women (Prohibition) Act and cases of missing children.
According to sources, as many as ten rape cases have been reported in the district since January 2013 till date, besides other cases of crime against women.
Sources said that the district has sufficient number of women police officers in the rank of Sub Inspector who can look after the women police station in the district if the police department feels fit to follow government’s directive.