“The Chief Minister has directed that posters of criminals involved in molesting women, girls and children, misbehaviour and sexual harassment cases be displayed on road intersections and public places, along with the names of those aiding such criminals, so that people come to know about them,” an announcement issued by the federal government stated.

The directives have been issued after the CM took cognizance of an incident that happened in Kanpur on Thursday morning when a 21-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly assaulted by two youths who have been stalking her. The two have been later arrested and booked for try and homicide, molestation and felony intimidation. The duo was additionally charged underneath sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The assertion issued by the federal government additionally stated that Adityanath directed police in each district to maintain working for girls security just like the anti-Romeo squads, “which have shown great results and discouraged eve-teasers”. Moreover, in case of an incident of crime towards girls in an space, the beat in-charge, the police outpost in-charge, the police station in-charge and the circle officer involved can be held accountable, it added.

Also, instructions have been that “such criminals be punished by women police personnel to send a strong message,” the assertion learn.

Later, the state Home Department stated that in accordance with the CM’s instructions, anti-Romeo squads will likely be additional strengthened. “To put a stop on incidents of molestation and eve-teasing, the anti-Romeo squads are active in every district. In a meeting with the home and police department officials, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that by taking strict and effective action, a better image of the police will be presented so that women can have an increased faith in the department,” learn the assertion.

It additionally stated that anti-Romeo squads “checked” greater than 83 lakh folks in over 35 lakh faculties, schools and public locations, like markets, malls and parks. Based on the “checking”, circumstances have been registered towards 7,351 folks and 11,564 have been arrested, whereas greater than 35 lakh folks have been let off after correct warning.

Speaking to The Indian Express, DGP Hitesh Chandra Awasthy refused to touch upon the course of placing of posters of these committing crime towards girls, saying that he was but to obtain an official order. “I have not yet received any such communication, and once we get it, we will act on it accordingly. We have, however, re-issued directions that we have to be very careful about such crimes taking place and have to take strong action against such people. A similar order was issued by me around 20-25 days ago,” the DGP stated.

Among a bunch of instructions issued by the DGP included rapid registering of FIRs and making arrests in reference to crimes towards girls, common patrolling in delicate areas, use of body-worn cameras, set up of CCTV cameras in public locations, faculties, malls and parks, criticism bins in ladies schools, escorting girl to their vacation spot within the night time amongst others.

When requested that the “name and shame” motion can be taken towards the 2 kids who have been arrested on Thursday for alleged assault on a university woman, Kanpur DIG Preetinder Singh stated that placing up posters of the offender in such crimes is required when police usually are not capable of finding and arrest them. “The important thing in such cases is taking strict action against such people. In this particular case, we arrested the accused within two hours of the crime taking place. As far as putting up posters is concerned, we will be doing so only in cases in which the accused is absconding,” Singh added.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd