THE ISSUE
1.1 “There are two powers in the world; one is
the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both,
that of women”, it’s an excerpt from the autobiography of Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai titled, ‘I Am Malala’. We find the
echoing of her quote in the Indian mythology, which
glorified women as the mother, the creator, one who gives life and worshipped
her as a ‘Devi' or Goddess.
1.2 Contrary to this
glorification the Indian women found themselves totally suppressed and
subjugated in a patriarchal society, though male violence against women (VAW)
is worldwide phenomenon. Thus,
the United Nations General Assembly had to adopt a Declaration in 1993,
on ‘violence against women’,
defining it as ‘any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely
to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women,
including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty,
whether occurring in public or in private life’. My native state Tripura, which is my work-place as well, is also not free from this
menace. It had earned the terrible distinction of the second highest rate of violence
against women in India per
Lakh populations in 2012. This article emphasizes how Tripura Police is
encountering this menace.
PESTELOP
2.1 In India violence
against women like Rape, Kidnapping, abduction, Homicide for dowry, Dowry death or
their attempts, mental and physical tortures, Sexual Harassments etc are dealt
under the
Indian Penal Code (IPC). There
are Gender
specific laws like Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, Dowry
Prohibition Act, Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, Commission
of Sati (Prevention) Act, Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act etc
to address the issue. The
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) secures
the right of children.
2.2 Tripura
had faced a phase of insurgency spreading over three decades. Our focus in
those days was largely containing insurgency and Tripura Police achieved
success in this regard. But, in the process normal basic law and order issues
like controlling violence against women probably have been
ignored. The statement on VAW in
Tripura is as under:
|
Head
of Crime
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
|
Rape
|
233
|
239
|
213
|
207
|
183
|
172
|
|
Dowry
Death
|
30
|
36
|
28
|
19
|
33
|
18
|
|
Elopement/Missing/Kidnapping
|
124
|
100
|
121
|
119
|
95
|
138
|
|
Harassment
by husband/relatives
|
826
|
702
|
502
|
430
|
348
|
299
|
|
Molestation
|
407
|
469
|
352
|
211
|
259
|
210
|
|
Other
crime against women
|
88
|
83
|
107
|
58
|
82
|
87
|
|
Total
|
1708
|
1629
|
1323
|
1044
|
1000
|
924
|
2.3 As per NCRB, MHA statistics available up to
2016, in respect of violence against women Tripura’s position is as under:
|
Year
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
|
National Crime Rate
|
41.74
|
52.24
|
56.3
|
53.9
|
55.2
|
|
Tripura Crime Rate
|
86.95
|
89.75
|
88.0
|
68.2
|
53.9
|
|
Position of Tripura amongst 36 States/UTs
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
8
|
14
|
|
Crime Rate- Cases registered per one Lakh
population.
|
The alarming trend has been checked but still, a lot to be achieved.
2.4 Gender discrimination
including physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence, son preference,
unequal resource distribution, unequal decision-making power etc is less in
Tripura. At the National level we find an adverse Child sex ratio. The ratio of female child to male child (0-6
years) has depleted from 945: 1000 in 1991 to 914:1000 as per 2011 census. In
respect of Tripura the ratio is 973: 1000.
2.5 In
the aftermath of the "Nirbhaya" case in 2012 New Delhi Justice
Verma was appointed Chairperson of a three-member commission. The
panel made ten major
recommendations concerning Punishment for Rape, Punishment for other sexual
offences, Registering complaints and medical examination, Marriages to be
registered, Bill of Rights for women, Amendments to the Code of Criminal
Procedure, Review of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Police reforms, Role
of the judiciary and Political Reforms.
2.6 The state Government took a meeting involving
representatives of all political parties in the state to curb the menace of
violence against women. All political parties have assured their role in
generation of awareness on this issue. Some significant decisions had been
taken. The
recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee had already been accepted by the
Central Government. The state government also decided in favour of strict
enforcement and appropriate actions.
2.7
The
decisions included the following:
(i) Creation of Fast Track Courts.
(ii) Engagement of more women advocates as Special
Prosecutors.
(iii) Increase
of women representation in Police.
(iv) Monitoring all of VAW cases.
(v)
Instilling confidence in victims.
(vi) Fixing Tenure of police
officers.
(vii)
Introduction of new techniques in
investigation.
(viii) Monitoring performance of
public prosecutors.
(ix) Shelter for victims.
(x)
Implementation of Domestic Violence Act.
(xi) Adoption of Tripura
Victim Compensation Scheme.
(xii)
Surveillance on Hotels, Guest Houses, The
Tripura Victim Compensation Scheme and Beauty Parlors.
(xiii) Check on bunking of
school classes.
(xiv) Enhancement of representation of women
activists in Tripura Commission for Women.
RISK ASSESSMENT
3.1 The registration cases related to the violence against women in
the state is quite high. The following reasons may be attributed as under:
•
Awareness in the society.
•
Easy accessibility to
police/administration.
•
People friendly policing.
•
Failure of command structure
within the family/society.
•
Lack of tolerance level.
•
Expectation for justice in the
court.
•
Zero tolerance against
non-registration of VAW cases.
•
Women
empowerment.
3.2 At present, there are seven Women Police Stations in the
state run by women police officials. All the other 69 Police Stations have
Women Help Desk apart from eight lady Deputy Superintendents of Police (Dy.SP)
for the supervision of investigation of heinous cases of crime against women in
eight districts. There are 70 women Sub-Inspectors and 1181 women personnel in
Tripura Police, out of a total strength of 10,066 making the representation of
women police slightly over 11.73%.
3.3 Safety and security of the citizens in a country are guaranteed
by the law of the land. The police personal ensure that the law is properly
followed and if not done so, the offenders are taken into account. But the
duty of the police becomes easier and their level of efficiency and
success reach newer and greater heights if people or the
citizen co-operate with the police and participle
actively in preventing occurrence of crime through community policing.
Accordingly, the community policing program of Tripura Police ‘PRAYAAS’,
meaning efforts was launched on the 1st January, 2011. The ‘PRAYAAS’
provides a platform for 24 X 7 liaison between police and Public for improving
the service delivery of Tripura Police.
POSSIBLE RESOLUTION
4.1 In a democratic nation the main strength of the country
is its people, its citizen. A democratic state provides all basic rights and
privileges to its citizen including security so that they can prosper and in
turn allows the country to flourish. In this regard, our major Strengths, Weakness, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats are described below :
4.2 Strengths:
(i) For six years at a stretch, crime against women cases in
the state are on decline.
(ii) The dowry death cases are still few. In
respect of rape and kidnapping, a majority of cases are consensual and these
results in happy ending in the court. Similarly, the violence level in
molestation and harassment cases is significantly low and sometimes cases are
lodged for settling other scores.
(iii) The state has a good cultural heritage and
good administrative system. The natives of this place have still a good family
bondage and broken families are less. It serves as an umbilical cord for
innumerable technocrats, physicians, intellectuals produced by this soil and
presently staying in other parts of the globe. Everybody is equally concern
over the issue.
4.3 Weaknesses:
(i) The literacy rate of Tripura is 93.91% as per 2011 census but still
the extent of violence against women is very high.
(ii) The conviction rate in crime against women
cases is hovering around 30% and less than the national average.
(iii) Poor road, rail and air connectivity added
with other constraints sometimes create major problem for police in
apprehending offenders. After committing crimes they take shelters in other
states and even in neighbouring country Bangladesh.
4.4 Opportunities:
(i) The community policing scheme of Tripura Police is giving good
dividends and it should be further strengthened.
(ii) The present state government has adopted a
comprehensive Victim Compensation Scheme. It will certainly create a good
rehabilitation for the victims of violent crimes against women.
(iii) Tripura has elected self governments at
Panchayat, Nagar Panchayat, Municipality, Corporation and other levels with 33%
women reservations. The services of these elected women members may be utilized
for addressing the issue.
4.5 Threats:
(i) The advancement of technology and easy access to mobile and
internet have made our people, particularly women and girls vulnerable for
cyber crimes and sexual abuses including other related issues.
(ii) Drug trafficking and use of NDPS articles
have become big menace in Tripura. It is emerging as a major threat, as large
number of youths including girls are becoming drug addicts. The rehabilitation
facilities have also not come up.
(iii) The sexually transmitted diseases are also
on the rise.
OVERALL
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Our efficiency lies upon the prevention of crime and
bringing the criminals in to the task of laws. The police act as the primary
component of the Criminal Justice System, which is in vogue in our country. The
other components of the Criminal Justice System are the Judiciary and the
Prison. For preventing crime the Community Policing scheme ‘PRAYAAS’ is still
found to be the best.
5.2 Conviction of accused persons in any case of
violence against women acts as deterrent. As such, we are giving emphasize on
the following:
- Refresher course on
investigation for the Investigating Officers (IO).
- Team of officers: for
prompt detection and better monitoring of investigation in all sensitive cases.
- Emphasis on use of
scientific aid in investigation.
- Strict implementation
of Pairavi (persuasion) system.
- Strengthening
manpower in Police Court for trial monitoring.
- Emphasis on custody
trial of all heinous crimes.
- Proper co-ordination/
regular interaction with Public Prosecutors (PPs) and Assistant Public
Prosecutors (APPs) and judicial officers.
- Monitoring cases on
active trial from District Headquarters.
- Sensitization to the
IOs on the importance of Pairavi.
- Meticulous analysis
of Judgment order and corrective measure to overcome lapses in
investigation.
- Follow up of trial
calendar.
IMPLEMENTATION
OF STRATEGY
6.1 Dealing with violence against women including domestic violence
is different from normal crimes. It requires active support of the family and
the local community in order to be effective. Tackling these issues requires
looking beyond the traditional approach. As such, opening of women police
stations, women help desks, deployment of more police persons including women
police personnel and their training are undertaken.
6.2 In addition, the following steps have been adopted:
•
Toll
free ‘Women Help Line 1091’ throughout the state.
•
Counseling the victim and
husband wherever applicable to mitigate petty family dispute.
•
Increase the Conviction
rate in VAW cases by Pairavi and trial monitoring, apart from ensuring custody
trial.
•
Refresher training of IOs
for improving the quality of investigation.
•
Judgment analysis for
suggesting the corrective measures to rectify the loopholes in investigation.
•
Involvement of IOs for
effective implementation of Victim Compensation Scheme.
6.3 The positive impact of ‘Prayaas’ is quite evident from the above
statistics cited earlier. It has become a powerful instrument in enforcing the
process of law. Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
has also acclaimed this scheme of Tripura Police in 2017. Tripura police
is the only recipient of prestigious President’s Colour in the entire
North-East India.
6.4 At, present there are 454 ‘Prayaas Beats’, spreading over eight
districts in the state.
|
Name of districts
|
North
|
Unokati
|
Dhalai
|
Khowai
|
West
|
Sepahijola
|
Gomati
|
South
|
Overall
|
|
No of Beats
|
67
|
31
|
81
|
29
|
100
|
53
|
58
|
35
|
454
|
6.5 Each ‘Prayaas Beat’ holds on the average two meetings in a
month. Innovative practices on the part of ‘Prayaas Beats’ are encouraged. The performances of each police station and district
in implementing ‘Prayaas’ are evaluated annually during Police Week. The
best performers in different fields are rewarded. I am sure that we shall be
successful in transformation of Tripura Police from reactive to more proactive
in coming days.
