The official figure of 103 women committing suicide in nine months in Chittoor district this year is too much for the police administration to tolerate. After a month-long brainstorming session with police functionaries at the village and mandal-level, Superintendent of Police S.V. Rajasekhar Babu on Tuesday came up with a concept to put an end to violence against women, and to embolden those in distress. The result is a 44-day Cycle Yatra by four young women constables, hailing from backward areas, traversing 1,250 km and covering hundreds of villages in Chittoor police district.
D. Tirumala, M. Nirmala, K.V. Bhargavi and M. Nagarathna, enlisted in 2014, will hold awareness meetings in all mandal headquarters during the yatra. The officials of the Women and Child Welfare Departments, police officials, government teachers, voluntary organisations, people’s representatives and DWCRA groups will join the campaign as the young women cops pedal their way to instil confidence among women and girls in distress and drive away suicidal thoughts from their minds. The journey will cover many a forested hamlet and pass through the scenic ghat sections at Moghili, Karveti Nagaram and Bhakarapeta.
Flagging off the cycle yatra at Parade Grounds here on Tuesday, Mr. Rajasekhar Babu said that in spite of the strong presence of police at the grass-root level, coupled with the formation of women and juvenile wings leading SHE-teams, atrocities and violence against women, school and college girls were on the rise.
Collector P.S. Pradyumna said apart from instilling self-confidence in women, priority should be given to protect their self-respect.
Additional SP G.R. Radhika, the first Indian woman police officer to scale Mount Everest, observed that education to all sections of women, particularly from their childhood, should be viewed as the best deterrent to suicide.
Senior police officials, Chittoor MP N. Sivaprasad, MLA D.A. Satyaprabha, ZP chairperson Geervani, District TDP president P. Nani, and MLC B. Dorababu were present. Girl students in large numbers were present.
