Anti-Romeo squad gets new name and SOPs to ensure women's safety
Lucknow: In a step towards enhancing
women's safety
and adopting
gender-sensitive policing
, the
Lucknow Police
Commissionerate has restructured and renamed its Anti-Romeo Squad as '
Mahila Suraksha Team
' (women's safety team).
With this, Lucknow became the first district in Uttar Pradesh to formally shun the 'anti-Romeo' label —originally introduced in 2017 — and adopt a comprehensive and reform-oriented framework to protect and empower women in public spaces, a senior police officer said.
Police stations in Lucknow will now host one dedicated Mahila Suraksha Team, led by a woman sub-inspector and supported by two male and female constables each. Lucknow police commissioner, Amrendra Sengar, said: "The new name aims to move away from moral policing stigma and fosters public confidence by highlighting women's security and empowerment."
"These teams will operate daily from 8am to 8pm, covering hotspots near schools, colleges, markets, bus stands, parks, and other public spaces. Each team will be equipped with a four-wheeler vehicle, riot control gear (helmet, baton, body protector, rope), body-worn cameras for the in-charge officer, a licensed firearm, and CUG phones and e-challan devices," he said.
"These will also act as Quick Response Teams (QRTs) during emergencies and maintain detailed records of hotspots, offenders, and interventions. Regular briefing and review mechanisms have been instituted, with monitoring by DCP and ACP," he added.
Elaborating the mandate, Sengar said that teams would patrol near educational institutions during opening and closing hours and monitor public places during evening hours. "Women officers in plain clothes will patrol sensitive areas such as malls, coaching centres, and marketplaces to catch offenders unaware. Offenders caught harassing women will be detained, counselled, and warned. Repeat offenders will face legal action, including arrest under provisions of BNS and the Gangster Act," he said.
The commissioner added that teams would liaise with school/college administrations, organise regular meetings, install complaint boxes, and encourage anonymous reporting. "Body cameras and photo documentation of suspects will be used to build psychological pressure and collect legal evidence. Rural and peripheral educational institutes will receive focused attention," he said. The Commissioner has also directed teams not to harass innocent people or misinterpret social interactions.
Lucknow police had formed 23 special squads to carry out anti-Romeo operation in the city on March 22, 2017. The purpose of the team was to prevent eve-teasing and harassment.
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