SHILLONG: With the state witnessing a spurt in crimes against women and children, Governor Ganga Prasad said capacity and competence building programmes have been organised for investigating officers for better handling of cases.
At the same time, workshops and programmes on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act and Gender sensitisation were conducted for investigating officers.
The governor in his address said special juvenile police units have been set up in all the district headquarters headed by respective Superintendents of Police and special police officers under the provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, have been notified.
“The Special Superintendent of Police, CID, has been notified as the nodal officer on trafficking of women and children and all the superintendents of police have been notified as nodal officers for the purpose in respective districts,” he added.
The anti-human trafficking unit has been set up in East Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi, West Jaintia Hills and West Garo Hills, the governor said.
The website of the state police regularly posts safety tips for women while the 181 Women Helpline is functional with its head office at the Directorate of Social Welfare, Prasad informed.
‘Track the Missing Child’ portal has been implemented and a one-stop crisis centre has been set up at Ganesh Das Hospital for victims of sexual assault.
Prasad pointed out that the government has created 18 new police stations and to ensure supervision of crime at close quarters to monitor cases of crime against women and children, four posts of sub-divisional police officers for newly created civil sub-divisions have been sanctioned.
With regard to forensic science, the governor said the state has taken steps to strengthen the forensic laboratory and funds have been sanctioned for equipment for the DNA laboratory.
