Report Each and Every Incident : SSP Rakesh Balwal
According to latest report, the National Crime Record Bureau has said that J&K has been over 10% increase in Crime against women during 2020.There are three types of violences. 1.Physical Abuse in Relationship (beating, rape). 2. Economic Abuse meaning. 3.Emotional Abuse meaning.
While talking to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar Rakesh Balwal in an exclusive interview Farzana Mumtaz and Mir Sabeen Gulrez talk on diverse issues faced by women. Excerpts :
According to survey there is rise in domestic violence during Pandemic even people are very much aware and People nowadays are very much digital as even they know there rights but still lack why? SSP : First of all we have set guidelines and contact numbers like….. Whosoever is suffering through violence can report us as soon as possible to us. You (reporter) said that there is rise in cases to some extent it is true but there is another aspect that we shouldn’t deny is that nowadays people are reporting immediately to their nearest police stations. For these cases we have established stations. From our level our first priority is to take care of the Complaintant but for that they have to come forward and do report to us. We have to understand that our society is patriarchal society and there are always such cases but still then how they do report to us. Emphasis have always given even on smallest complaints which comes to our way. It’s not like we left her on God’s mercy. We see the situation and even after that we take action as usually small quarels lead to bigger Catastrophes. For example If we receive a complaint that some girl is being stalked we never leave the accused one as later on it will be a big issue. Like earlier too we(Police) used to take actions immediately. But unfortunately at that time social awareness was not like as we have these days. Now we(Police) also give it in a Press Release that like at this date and time we receive a complaint from this person as he has filled a complaint for her missing daughter. When we recovered that abducted girl but we hide her identity but to make people aware of this we do give a Press Release of that. But those who are involved in this heinous crime. We cover their faces but we give their identity who actually are they. Our first preference is that society should know these people who are in such wrong activities. You can even see how we(Police) people are dealing with drug peddlers as we even are not sparing them. In these last two months we have registered 41 FIR’s this year so far while as last year we have registered 78FIR’s.Even we have shown even smallest recoveries so far to the people. As we have to keep these things on record. Those who are in such wrong activities should be publicly shown to people, but here we just hide their faces whenever we publish their photos but surely their names should be known to the society. In South India we usually receive very rare cases. Before this I was posted in North East there also we usually receive very rare cases but here why there is a rise just because we are living in a patriarchal society we should know that whenever a lady gives birth to a son whole family celebrates but at the same time when she gives birth to a girl child they felt sorry for her. Whenever society have such a strong patriarchal norms even though in Islam there is equality but even though society is baised. It is necessary society should at least get changed their mind setup towards this menace if not these things will usually happen. See our youth don’t have much awareness these days like people in Jammu, Delhi goes to shopping malls, PVR’s etc to hangouts but here our youth is taking refuge in Narcotics. In this mess they usually do these wrong activities.Like if the same youth is at home and is addict. His wife will stop him and he will try to get refrained from these things. Even we have received such complaints where a husband has sold his wives gold to get the drug’s from the market. If she resist to give it to him then he will start beating or other violences to her and that is also part of violence. Yesterday, I gave a statement that 90% of the crimes in Srinagar are happening because of the narcotics. And for all this menace we have assured that proper Investigation should be done, proper FIR’s should be registered and these people should be taken to task. Is emotional abuse a crime in India? No emotional abuse is not a crime but nowadays Supreme Court is having a second thought about this. Norms are changing as per society and similarly laws should reflect the norms of thr society at that time. Saying that there is a rise in Crime is not a right statement but the right statement is this that Police have taken cognizance of all such reports that used to come in their way. He just see wherever there comes an evidence in any case that some kind of Physical Abuse has happened we immediately go for FIR. It never happened before. We have women’s Police Station in Solina. Only ladies are there, this is because whenever any lady or girl come there with a complaint she should feel comfortable with the staff. While narrating her ordeal. What is a women’s right of residence under the Domestic violence Act? Marriage is a special bond between the two where as per the norms a girl has to stay with her in-laws. Rest in a civil matter. We (police) come into the picture where there is physical abuse or when there is some Harrasment Or some tangible evidence that this episode has occurred. Then at that time a girl or her family can approach us through phone Or there are other means of communication also. Marriage law as per Hindus or Muslim’s the domicile of the girl is staged by civil laws, we are not in picture but if there is some tangible evidence where she is abused or something like that we come into picture . Then we do take care that nothing wrong should happen with her. But usually we don’t go into civil matters. What has been your experience with women who call in for help with domestic violence situations? Our first step is we listen the whole story first then immediately I refer that case to our nearest station they call the other side and if the girls parents feel that there daughter is in trouble. The first preference is that policeman ask the girls in-laws to sign a Good Behavior Bond. And after that the girls parents get a sigh of relief. After that if there is some tangible evidence we register FIR.
Women often overlook red flags, thinking they can change the man once they are married to him. What would you like to tell such women? Don’t keep everything under the carpet report immediately as soon as possible. When a person can’t be good in initial how can he be good after mirrage.
Your message to people? Report each and every incident as soon as possible. As small things create havoc always. We shouldn’t keep everything under the carpet. Don’t feel that social stigma will gonna help you but we(Police) can help them at every step. You are my daughter’s, sisters, mothers please dont be silent stand for yourself as it’s the need of the hour.
