<p>Last Saturday’s protest leave by lower-rung police staff may have failed but it led to something unprecedented on Friday morning. The police top brass held a parade of policewomen at the City Armed Reserve (CAR) grounds in Adugodi to hear their grievances and redress them.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Hearing the constables’ grievances during parades was one of the administrative decisions taken by the state government to quell the protest. While parades for male constables were held over the last two weeks, it was the first time that a women-only parade was held. <br /><br />A total of 125 policewomen were in attendance, including sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors, head constables and constables from Bengaluru’s eastern, southeastern and northeastern police divisions. <br /><br />P Harishekaran, Additional Commissioner of Police (East), was among the officers who spoke at length to female constables. “When we talk to them at a personal level, we get to know their sentiments,” he said. <br /><br />Most of them spoke about the meagre allowance they get when sent to a different state to hand over juvenile offenders or female suspects to their respective jurisdiction. They get just the train fare. They have to spend from their own pockets to take care of juvenile offenders and female suspects. Harishekaran said he would take up the matter with the top brass. <br /><br />The policewomen also asked for representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or male staff to accompany them during their trips outside Karnataka. The policewomen feel that representatives of NGOs working with the Department of Women and Child Development can help them converse with officials in other states. The officer said that steps would be taken to resolve the grievance. <br /><br />A number of policewomen also complained about the problems they face when deployed on bandobust. A woman head constable, who did not want to be named, told Deccan Herald, “It’s a nightmare when we are deployed on bandobust. We don’t get proper food or a place to rest. The main concern is attending to nature’s calls. Unlike men, we can’t relieve ourselves on the roadside. The officers just assign us without thinking about our problems.” <br /><br />Another constable pointed out that even police stations lacked proper toilets for women. “Toilets in old police station buildings are in a pathetic condition. We have been asking for their repair for the past three months, but nothing has been done. I go home to relieve myself. I stay close-by, so I’m not hassled much. But what about policewomen who live far away?” <br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Last Saturday’s protest leave by lower-rung police staff may have failed but it led to something unprecedented on Friday morning. The police top brass held a parade of policewomen at the City Armed Reserve (CAR) grounds in Adugodi to hear their grievances and redress them.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Hearing the constables’ grievances during parades was one of the administrative decisions taken by the state government to quell the protest. While parades for male constables were held over the last two weeks, it was the first time that a women-only parade was held. <br /><br />A total of 125 policewomen were in attendance, including sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors, head constables and constables from Bengaluru’s eastern, southeastern and northeastern police divisions. <br /><br />P Harishekaran, Additional Commissioner of Police (East), was among the officers who spoke at length to female constables. “When we talk to them at a personal level, we get to know their sentiments,” he said. <br /><br />Most of them spoke about the meagre allowance they get when sent to a different state to hand over juvenile offenders or female suspects to their respective jurisdiction. They get just the train fare. They have to spend from their own pockets to take care of juvenile offenders and female suspects. Harishekaran said he would take up the matter with the top brass. <br /><br />The policewomen also asked for representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or male staff to accompany them during their trips outside Karnataka. The policewomen feel that representatives of NGOs working with the Department of Women and Child Development can help them converse with officials in other states. The officer said that steps would be taken to resolve the grievance. <br /><br />A number of policewomen also complained about the problems they face when deployed on bandobust. A woman head constable, who did not want to be named, told Deccan Herald, “It’s a nightmare when we are deployed on bandobust. We don’t get proper food or a place to rest. The main concern is attending to nature’s calls. Unlike men, we can’t relieve ourselves on the roadside. The officers just assign us without thinking about our problems.” <br /><br />Another constable pointed out that even police stations lacked proper toilets for women. “Toilets in old police station buildings are in a pathetic condition. We have been asking for their repair for the past three months, but nothing has been done. I go home to relieve myself. I stay close-by, so I’m not hassled much. But what about policewomen who live far away?” <br />DH News Service</p>
