New Delhi: The Centre on Friday asked all state governments to increase the number of women in police forces to 33 per cent, saying an environment must be created for women and weaker sections to visit a police station without difficulty.
Noting that women comprised just 3.98 per cent of the country`s total police forces, Union Home Secretary R K Singh said, "If there is women police, women complainants will feel more secure, comfortable in visiting a police station. We think 33 per cent civil police -- constables and sub-inspectors should be women."
Addressing a conference here of chief secretaries and DGPs of all states, he said, "We have suggested to the Delhi Police to increase the number of women personnel and we suggest you all to do the needful to achieve this target."
The conference has convened in the wake of the brutal gang-rape and assault of a 23-year-old girl in Delhi.
Singh said an atmosphere should be created where women and weaker sections of the society get the ability to launch a complaint without facing difficulty.
He said in cases like molestation, the very thought of going through the ordeal to brief the policemen about the incident dissuade many to go to a police station and that has to be changed.
"It is high time, as a country we have to wake up. Our inability to protect women and weaker sections of the society is a huge, huge problem," he said.
The Home Secretary said investigation of any case has to be time-bound and, according to CrPC, it has to be completed in 3 months.
PTI
