Now, pink patrol cars in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram: Going a step further to the pink beat patrolling which is in operation, the city police has procured special cars to start a 'pink patrol team' which will exclusively attend to a woman who needs help. Three pink Toyota Etios sedans specially fitted with cameras and GPS have been rolled out to catch offenders such as eve teasers and molesters.

The city has been divided into three zones where cars will patrol continuously. Around three lady officers mostly trained in martial art forms will be in the patrol team that will be under a woman Assistant Sub Inspector. "They can be reached on the new pink patrol number 181. They can also be accessed using the old 1091 helpline for women," said DCP (law and order) G Sivavikram. The pink patrol will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan this week.

Though a patrol had been planned by State Police Chief (SPC) Loknath Behera at Kochi and Kozhikode, the capital will be the first to get squads. The present pink beat patrol system involves police women travelling in public buses and visiting bus stops to pick up eve teasers and molestors. The women's patrolling system was started amidst rising atrocities against children and women, especially in public places, officials said.