AntiRomeo squads to don a refined look

SENSITISATION WORKSHOP No moral policing but ensure women not harassed in public, cops being told. They are also being trained in communication skills

LUCKNOW: The Bharatiya Janata Party government’s much hyped anti -Romeo squads, which were set up to protect women but which drew flak for being heavy handed , will soon emerge in a new, much more refined avtaar after going through a sensitisation workshop and behavioural training .

The training programme is being conducted by the officers and staff of Women Power Line (WPL)-1090 (a service launched for women in distress four years ago), on DGP Sulkhan Singh’s directives.

“The training programme is aimed at sensitising anti-Romeo squad personnel about their work profile, communication skills, gesture and legal aspects of the campaign,” said WPL inspector general of police (IGP), Navniet Sekera.

He said it was being explained to them that they did not have to get involved in moral policing or troubling couples.

Their work was to ensure that nobody troubled women at public places, outside schools and colleges and in market places.

The IGP said the first workshop for 55 police personnel of six different districts of Lucknow Range was conducted on the WPL premises on Tuesday.

The Lucknow Range includes Lucknow, Sitapur, Hardoi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Unnao and Raebareli. He said the second workshop would be conducted for cops of Faizabad Range on May 23.

He said a professional psychologist Neha Anand told them about their gestures and communication skills while legal expert Jitendra Kumar Sharma explained different legal components of crime related to women.

Sekera said the seven-hour programme was mainly designed by WPL deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Babita Singh. He said so far it catered to sub-inspector and constable level cops. The training of gazetted officers like deputy superintendents of police (DSP) and additional SPs (ASP), who had to supervise anti-Romeo squads working, would also be conducted.

DSP Babita Singh said first the squad members were asked to fill a 24-point questionnaire related to work profile of antiRomeo squads, IPC sections and legal proceedings related to different types of crime against women like stalking, staring, passing lewd remarks, unwanted touch and obscenity at public places.

She said the squad members were trained and sensitised according to their understanding and awareness of womenrelated issues.

Singh said the response and awareness of every police personnel was different on the basis of his/her family backgrounds and qualifications.

“Response and understanding of those with urban background and minimum qualification of graduation or post graduation will be different from those with a rural background who are just intermediate pass. Moreover, male and female police personnel’s response is also different,” she explained.

She said the police personnel were told how their gesture, approach and communication skills with people could make a difference.

“One problem that most of the police personnel shared during the training programme was what to do when a couple was sitting in a park and other visitors were troubled by their activities. They were asked not to get involved in a harsh interaction with them but to warn them that their actions were causing problems to others,” she said.

The DSP said there was also a plan to get the feedback for antiRomeo squads’ performance after training from the nodal officers of each district and further sensitise them if required. She said a sensitisation and motivation programme every few months was also planned.

One problem that most of the police personnel shared during the training programme was what to do when a couple was sitting in a park and other visitors were troubled by their activities. BABITA SINGH, DSP