Women cop-counsellors reuniting families in Prayagraj

Counseling and efforts by women cops has saved 528 families from being separated during last 11 months in Prayagraj, cops said.

About 70 percent of total cases received by women cops were resolved without FIRs being filed, women cops said.

Woman police station in-charge, Punam Shukla said 693 disputes were received during last 11 months and 528 of these were sorted out at police station level itself while 165 were forwarded to Lok Adalat (public court) for disposal.

“FIRs were filed in only 92 cases, rest were resolved at the police station level only,” the cops said.

689 complaints were received at woman police station in 2018, 222 in 2019, 169 in 2020, 86 in 2021. Before 2018, complaints of women in the district were received at woman police station in Civil Lines. However, later women help desk were set up at all police stations.

Women cops said about 22 couples who approached them said distances were taking a toll on their relationship. The cop counsellors also received four cases where couples who were in a live-in relationship had separated.

Among the cases that were sorted out included that of a woman of Muthiganj area who had complained of harassment by her husband and in-laws over dowry demands.

Another woman of Dhumanganj area had approached women cops and complained she was being neglected by her husband. Women cops said that counseling revealed that they used to suspect each other of having extra marital affair. However, post counselling, they decided to improve on their relationship, women cops said.

In another case, cops sorted out an issue featuring a Muslim woman, who complained her husband was threatening to divorce her, through triple talaq.

Scuffles over petty issues, domestic violence, triple talaq threats and rape allegations after live-in relationships were common complaints received by the counselling teams at women police stations. Fake dowry demand cases and those of domestic violence are also becoming common, cops said.

“Relations in all such cases were on verge of separation but cops at woman police station patiently counselled them and saved families from splitting up,” women cops said. They added in some cases to save relationships from falling apart, they had to even threaten partners with FIR and jail (if found guilty).