Apart from ensuring speedy trail and maximum punishment for the accused in the sensational rape case, the Delhi Police, under pressure from various quarters, have decided to step up policing in the city and adopt no-tolerance policy in cases related to crime against women.
After detailed consultations with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police have chalked out a “pro-active action plan” to ensure women’s safety in the metropolis, which includes deploying police personnel in plain clothes in strategic locations to check harassment of women. “Henceforth, no ‘goondagardi’ (rowdiness), ‘dadagiri’ (bullying) or misbehaviour with women will be tolerated…police action will be visible on the ground. Women will feel safer now in the city…Delhi people will move freely, we will ensure that all action is taken by Delhi Police. People of Delhi will feel it [the change],” Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh said while briefing journalists in presence of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar and other senior cops.
Mr. Singh said they have chalked out a plan with consultation with the Delhi Transport Department where no public transport would be allowed to ply in the city without police verification of drivers, cleaners or assistants, while vehicles violating the rules would be impounded and even auctioned for breaking rules. “It has been decided that all buses, autos and taxi will be fitted with GPS system…the police are also going to step up its drive against tinted glass in vehicles and drunk driving,” he added.
The Police Commissioner said they have already intensified their drive against chartered buses for unauthorised picking up of passengers and diverting from designated routes and have impounded around 1,600 such vehicles for violating various rules. Referring to the trail of the accused, Mr. Singh said police would seek day-to-day hearing of the case so that the accused were convicted soon. He said they would ask for maximum possible sentence — life imprisonment — for the rapists and noted that as per law, a rape convict cannot be hanged.
