UP: ACP '€˜calls for help'€™ at night testing police response

Lucknow, Sep 30 (PTI) An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), stationed in Agra, ventured out in plain clothes at night to assess women's safety in the city.

During her outing, Sukanya Sharma called the police control room's emergency 112 services to request assistance late Saturday night, aiming to evaluate the responsiveness of the police.

Sharma, dressed in a white shirt and black jeans, made the emergency 112 call while travelling in an auto-rickshaw around 11.30 PM, informing the operator she was alone on a deserted road and needed help.

The control room responded quickly, and within 10 minutes, a team arrived on the scene, surprised to find ACP Sharma there.

Under current regulations, if a woman is stranded in a location without transport between 10 PM and 6 AM, she can request police assistance.

Sharma's call was a demonstration of this procedure, as she posed as an ordinary woman, saying, "I am in a deserted area, please help me." Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at the BJP government's handling of women's safety in UP.

The former UP chief minister described the woman ACP's actions as a "commendable initiative" but also underscored the need for more effective measures in place on the part of the government.

In a post on X, Yadav stated, "Women's safety is the first test of good governance. If the '1090' and 'Dial 100' initiatives launched during the Samajwadi Party's tenure had been properly continued and expanded under the BJP government, responsible officers would not need to make apprehensive calls about women's safety today." He further emphasised, "Such 'mock calls' should occur regularly to ensure the police and administration remain alert and vigilant. This highlights the shortcomings of the current government in providing adequate safety facilities for women. Commendable effort from ACP Sharma!" PTI SLM KIS HIG HIG