L-G Taranjit Singh Sandhu visits Delhi Police headquarters, directs setting up of women-centric patrol unit for deterrence

Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Tuesday directed the Delhi police to set up a dedicated “Pink Force” of trained women personnel to patrol around schools, colleges, metro stations and other sensitive areas, particularly during vulnerable hours, for visible deterrence and rapid response. 

The direction came a day after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped in a public park in south-east Delhi’s Kalkaji. 

Mr. Sandhu issued the directions while interacting with senior police officers at the Delhi Police headquarters, where he reviewed the impact of measures taken since his previous visit on June 24 and discussed gaps that needed to be addressed, according to a statement issued by Lok Niwas. 

Citing the Goa Police’s “Pink Force” as a model, Mr. Sandhu called for a similar women-centric patrol unit in Delhi. He said women’s safety was “non-negotiable” and directed the police to continue focused action against sexual harassment in public spaces under Operation Shishtachar. 

The L-G also called for increased foot and motorcycle patrolling in crime-prone and high-footfall areas, with particular attention to schools, colleges, markets and transport hubs. 

Public outreach 

He directed police of each district to nominate a nodal officer and prepare a quarterly calendar for interactive awareness programmes in schools on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, child safety, cybercrime, substance abuse and road safety. 

He directed sustained, intelligence-led action against drug trafficking under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and called for strengthening police stations to handle cybercrime complaints and preserve digital evidence. 

On public grievances, Mr. Sandhu directed the police to introduce a digital tracking mechanism for Jan Sunwai complaints, with every grievance acknowledged and acted upon within a defined timeline. Complaints concerning other departments should be forwarded to the agency concerned, he said. 

The L-G said every police station should be a place where citizens felt heard, helped and safe, and called for stronger coordination among police stations, beat officers and the communities they serve.