Maharashtra: Govt issues SOPs for police in handling cases against women - Read Here

In a major development, the Maharashtra Home Department released a fresh set of guidelines for the police in crime cases against women. In the aftermath of the Saki Naka rape case, Mumbai Police opened counselling centres for women.

Here are the new SOPs:

• If a woman approaches the police with regard to an offence, a lady officer should record her statement.
• Following this, within 24 hours, the victim should be produced before the concerned Woman and Child Development committee.
• In case of minors, the statement should be recorded by a police sub-inspector rank lady officer in the presence of a relative and in a language that the minor is comfortable with.
• Every police station should have a child development officer.

Ever since the Saki Naka rape and murder case last year, the state government has taken several steps to counter crimes against women. 

Also read: Bombay HC Frames Guidelines For Sexual Harassment Of Women At The Workplace

The Bombay High Court (HC) on September 9, permitted a 16-year-old rape survivor to terminate a 29-week pregnancy, even though no abnormalities were found in the fetus. 

Meanwhile, as per an NCRB report, the city of Mumbai has reported the second-highest number of crimes against women after Delhi in the year 2019.

Read More: Mumbai ranks second in crime against women; third in rape cases