Where safety finds a sister: Karnataka set to expand Akka Pade

Two years ago, when a small group of women police personnel in Bidar began donning a distinct uniform and stepping out in a specially marked vehicle, not many imagined they would one day shape a statewide movement. On November 28, the state is set to adopt this homegrown initiative—Akka Pade (Akka Force)—as a standard model to prevent violence against women and children and provide immediate support.

. What began as a district-level experiment is now being hailed as a turning point in community policing.

. Akka Pade is a special force comprising women police personnel. Unlike regular patrol teams, its members visit various public places, speaking to students about the ill-effects of child marriage, sexual abuse, the POCSO Act, substance abuse and cyber traps. Working closely with the Women and Child Development Department, the team conducts interactive sessions rather than formal lectures, and provides free legal aid and counselling in cases related to domestic violence and POCSO.

. Their 24/7 patrol routes cover bus stands, schools, colleges, parks, libraries, hostels and other crowded public spaces, driven by a simple belief: visibility builds trust. Head constable Ambika Metre, a member of Akka Pade, explains: “We have a WhatsApp group where we share daily updates on our activities. Our SP monitors it and offers guidance. Once a month, the SP meets Akka Pade staff to discuss issues faced by women and the challenges faced by our team, and provides solutions.”

. And the results, officers say, have been encouraging. Incidents of child marriage and sexual violence have dipped to some extent, more people are calling child helplines and seeking legal aid, and drug peddling is slowly tapering. “I was fed up with the constant eve-teasing from a group of youths on my way home from work. They ignored every warning. But ever since Akka Pade began patrolling, they have disappeared,” said a 23-year-old woman, requesting anonymity.

. The brain behind this initiative in Bidar was the then Superintendent of Police Chennabasavanna S L, now Director of the Karnataka Police Academy in Mysuru. At a time when Karnataka already had all-women units such as Durga Pade and Channamma Pade, their effectiveness was limited by undefined roles, reducing them to routine policing. Bidar was no exception, until Chennabasavanna called for a transformational shift.

. He gathered data on all women police personnel in the district, selected those with a flair for fieldwork and communication, and trained them through resource persons to carry out the task in a responsible way. Thus, in September 2023, Akka Pade was born.

. The name honours the legacy of 12th century social reformer Akkamahadevi, a figure deeply embedded in Bidar’s culture. “The idea of an Akka, an elder sister, felt natural,” Chennabasavanna recalls. “Girls needed someone they could approach without hesitation,” he said.

. Origin of the force

. The origins of Akka Pade lie far from Bidar, in the conflict-scarred plains of South Sudan, where Chennabasavanna was sent as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. There, he saw the challenges of maintaining peace and order as well as steps taken to prevent sexual harassment against girls amid ethnic strife. “There, the peacekeeping teams used targeted patrolling, trust-building and constant conversation with communities. Those methods stayed with me,” he recalls. He also worked closely with Doreen Malambo, a UN award-winning police officer from Zambia, observing their community-centric strategies to prevent violence against girls.

. Back in Bidar, he noticed that women police personnel seldom received field duties, limiting their impact. This insight combined with leadership workshops, streaming of inspiring lectures by Malambo and a 300-km bike rally paved the way for Akka Pade.

. Current Bidar SP Pradeep Gunti calls Akka Pade’s expansion a matter of pride. “We have now expanded Akka Pade across the district and strengthened it further,” he said.

. Minister for Women and Child Development Lakshmi Hebbalkar describes it as a revolutionary initiative for women safety. She said that under the state rollout, Akka Pade will patrol schools, colleges, malls and public places. A dedicated helpline will assist girls in distress and the force along with regular police personnel and NCC to widen its outreach.

. (Translated from Kannada by Vittal Shastri)

Where safety finds a sister: Karnataka set to expand Akka Pade

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