Toll free helpline established at Women Police Station Rambagh receives complaints of domestic violence from majority of complainants

Srinagar: After its launch on May 2 in a bid to extend a helping hand to the women folk of Kashmir, the main toll free helpline established at the women police station Rambagh in Srinagar has registered over 50 calls with majority of complaints by the women callers suggesting harassment by husbands and in-laws.
The data of callers suggest that majority of calls by the women were received from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and the Central Kashmir’s Budgam district where in women alleged harassment, intimidation and beating by their husbands.
“There were less calls about eve teasing and harassment to girls. We received a few calls where in girls alleged that their photographs were uploaded by some boys on the social sites,” an official posted at the women’ police station, Rambagh said.
He said that in majority of the calls, they referred the callers to their respective districts. “For example, when we received calls from Anantnag district, we directed the caller to approach the women’s wing of their concerned police station in their respective districts. We provided them all the contact numbers and references as well,” said the official.
He said that similarly women callers from other districts were properly guided. “The complaints of harassment by husbands and in-laws from the callers from Srinagar district were entertained in the police station Rambagh itself.
So far, since the launch of the maiden helpline, we have received 51 calls from almost all the districts of Kashmir,” the official said. “Majority of the calls were from Anantnag and Budgam districts.”
The official, who maintains the log-book of calls, said that most of the women callers alleged intimidation and harassment by their husbands and in-laws. “All of them alleged domestic violence in one or the other way,” he said.
However, he said they were verifying many calls that looked suspicious in nature. “In many calls, the callers didn’t identify themselves; neither did they reveal their locations. At least a dozen calls are being verified,” he said.
On May 2, on the directions of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Srinagar, Dr Haseeb Mughal, toll free numbers/maiden helpline was established for the women and girls of Kashmir to register their complaints to ensure that crimes against the women are curbed well in time.