Molesters in Gujarat are in for a rude shock. Quite literally. The Vadodara Range police have started a new initiative of selling ‘shock torches’ to women to empower them with a tool to deal with molesters.
The self-defence initiative was flagged off by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who gave the torches to three women at a function in Dahod district on Thursday.
“It is like the mosquito bat that gives a minor electric shock. The torch won’t cause a major injury, but the shock would be strong enough to give a good jolt to the eve-teaser. You just have to press a button. It is non-lethal,” Anupam Singh Ghelot, Inspector General of Police, Vadodara Range, told The Hindu .
The torches would be sold outside schools and colleges to girls and women in the seven police districts of the Range, namely Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, Baruch, Narmada, Godhra, Mahisagar and Dahod.
“We have opened registration desks. The Chief Minister has pressed for speedy distribution of the torches. Our priority is to provide them to the girls as early as possible. We are still in the process of distributing them in all the seven districts,” Mr. Ghelot said.
Each torch costs the police Rs. 1300, but it will be sold at a discount of 30 to 50 percent. The remaining cost will be born by the Suraksha Setu Society — an initiative of the Gujarat police — which gives grants for various police drives.
As the drive gathers steam in the Vadodara Range, it could be extended to other ranges too.
All 20 samples of the torch, described in its product specification as “lightflashing (reinforced) electronic riot device” were sold out on the first day. Around 700 more pieces have been ordered. Since the device has not been tested as yet, the police are not aware of the exact voltage it gives.“Nevertheless it’s a high-voltage device,” a police officer said.
