Jhargram district has launched the Durga Squad, a women-led police patrol unit that will operate across all nine police station areas ahead of Durga Puja to improve the safety of women and girls in public spaces and rural communities.
The squad was formally inaugurated on Friday in the presence of Jhargram’s district magistrate, superintendent of police, MLA and ministers. The deployment will include 12 motorcycles and three four-wheelers, which will patrol areas across the district.
According to Jhargram district police, the teams will focus on schools, colleges, hospitals, student hostels, markets, bus stops, village roads and rural weekly markets. Alongside routine patrols, women police personnel will speak with women and adolescent girls in public places to understand whether they are facing problems or have complaints.
If a complaint is received, the team in charge will contact the relevant police station so that action can be initiated quickly, the police said. The unit is expected to work across Jhargram’s nine police stations, two police outposts, one beat house and the district’s women’s police station.
The two outposts identified in the report are Ramgarh under Lalgarh police station and Banshpahari under Belpahari police station. Manikpara, under Jhargram police station, has a beat house. The squad will cover these areas as part of its district-wide operation.
Jhargram Superintendent of Police Manav Singla said the purpose of the Durga Squad was to prevent crimes against women and expand police services in locations such as police station areas, schools, markets and bus stops. He said complaints would be received promptly and action would be taken quickly.
The unit’s design places direct contact with women at the centre of its policing role. District Magistrate Akanksha Bhaskar said security was central to empowerment and that success should not be measured only by the registration or detection of cases. She said women should be able to overcome fear and speak about their problems.
Jhargram MLA Lakshmikanta Sau said the initiative would strengthen women’s safety and help women travel to their destinations without fear, including at night. State minister Rajesh Mahato said the unit would assist women from different sections of society before the festival.
The launch comes ahead of Durga Puja, when movement through markets, transport points and other public areas increases. The district police said the patrols would continue across the identified public and institutional locations, with complaints referred to the relevant police stations for follow-up.
