Although women outnumber men in Udupi district, the district has just one women’s police station. But after the abduction and >gang-rape of medical student of Manipal University on June 20, many women’s rights activists, women’s associations, and writers feel that a women’s police station is needed at Manipal. The university has 17,962 students from across the country and abroad, of whom about 50 per cent are women.
There are 22 police stations, including the lone women’s police station, in the district. The women’s police station is located in Kundapur town. This station has 31 women police personnel, including a sub-inspector and two assistant sub-inspectors.
There are 710 men personnel in the district, while the number of women police personnel stands at 96, including a woman Deputy Superintendent of Police. The total population of Udupi district is 11,77,361, which includes 6,15,230 women.
Shyamala Bhandary, advocate, said that Manipal had medical, engineering, and other professional colleges. Most women students pursuing professional courses went to the university library for studies and stayed there till late in the evening. (The university library closes at 11.30 p.m.)
Even if the university increased security, it would not be enough. After the gang-rape, a women’s police station was a must in Manipal.
“Women students will feel more comfortable in giving their complaint to women police officers than men officers. Women police officers were sensitive and committed. Such a police station can cover both Udupi and Manipal,” Ms. Bhandary said.
Sheela K. Shetty, president of Udupi Taluk Federation of Women’s Association, said that a women’s police station in Manipal would provide more protection to women students.
“Woman police personnel will have a better understanding of the problems faced by women students,” she said.
SP’s reaction
Superintendent of Police M.B. Boralingaiah said that the district police was thinking of shifting the Kundapur women’s police station to either Udupi or Manipal.
