National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma, who was on a three-day visit to Kerala, has met State Police Chief Anil Kant and discussed issues related to women’s safety, including the status of pending complaints with the commission.
Ms. Sharma, who concluded her visit on Thursday, expressed concern over the pending complaints on which the commission was yet to receive a police report. She also flagged the delay in sending action-taken reports. The chairperson discussed the practice of the police sending reports first to the government from where these were sent on ahead, something not seen in any other State.
The increase in domestic violence cases resulting from “widespread alcoholism” in the State, and the rising number of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) cases and sexual assaults also came up. She raised the issue of discrimination in tribal areas where Dalit women were not allowed to be cremated or buried, and nalnutrition among them.
Mr. Kant was directed to provide necessary assistance to the father of Mofiya Parveen, a law student who allegedly committed suicide owing to domestic abuse by her husband and his family. The case has been charge-sheeted.
In the case of a mentally challenged girl who was raped in front of her paralysed mother, Ms. Sharma directed the State Police Chief to ensure that the survivor and her mother received adequate shelter, rehabilitation and assistance.
She also discussed the death of a differently abled employee of a sub-regional transport office. The woman’s family has alleged that she committed suicide owing to mental harassment by her co-workers. Ms. Sharma directed the police chief to conduct a fair and time-bound investigation in the case and apprise the commission of the action taken within seven days.
On Wednesday, the NCW chairperson held a ‘Mahila Jansunwai’ at the Police Training College auditorium here, where she addressed the grievances of 50 complainants and instructed the police officials present to take appropriate steps.
The commission also examined 228 complaints, 12 non-resident Indian complaints, and 10 suo motu cases on which no action-taken reports had been received.
