Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala police are set to mark International Women’s Day on Thursday by assigning women subinspectors as station house officers (SHOs) in as many stations in the state. Women will be in charge of guarding the police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram as well.
The gesture complements the women empowerment programs rolled out by the state woman and child development department. Health minister K K Shylaja, who is also in charge of the woman and child development ministry, said that the assignment of women as SHOs was unprecedented and it was a recognition for women.
The Kerala police have 4,167 policewomen.
On Thursday, women will guard the stations, receive complainants and take follow-up actions. In stations that do not have women sub inspectors or inspectors, women civil police officers will run the show with help from the SHO.
The woman police have also organized a mass run from the Kowdiar Square in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. Seminars and workshops have been organized across the state to mark the Women’s Day.
As many as 1,000 women will receive training in self-defense in the Kinfra Park at Kazhakkoottam.
Women in police had a good run during the term of the present government in Kerala. The Left Democratic Front formed the first women’s battalion in the state by creating posts for 455 women. The police have also formed a woman-only command force to deal with emergency situations.
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