With cases of molestation and rape on women being reported regularly, the district police have taken up an initiative to provide short-term self-defence training to women of various colleges with the help of the Rani Chennamma Women’s Police Wing.
The objective is to instil confidence in women to fight hooligans when they are in trouble. “More than giving physical strength, the exercise will make [women] mentally strong. Mental fitness is more important as it will give the woman courage to fight back when she is in trouble,” said Superintendent of Police Prakash Nikam.
He said that similar trainings have already been completed by the Police Department in places such as Gadag, Davangere, Tumakuru, and Raichur. The police also wish to implement this initiative in colleges, and the training will start from Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women’s University.
“The reason for choosing the women’s university is simple — it has highest number of female students at one place,” the SP said. The training is scheduled to be held in the last week of December. It will be carried out by around 200 women police personnel who have training in martial arts.
Mr. Nikam said the modalities were being finalised for implementing the programme across the district. It is to be monitored by the police sub-inspectors of the respective police stations.
“Though the Police Department has been doing its job by increasing the beat police strength, setting up women’s stations and deploying female officers to prevent cases of eve-teasing, without the cooperation of the public, it is difficult for the police to control crime,” he said.
