Women in the front seat

Mumbai police’s new power package—women beat marshalls—are zooming around the city to keep vigilance on crimes against women. We spoke to Rupali Argade and Ashwini Mokashi, the newly appointed women beat marshalls at the Marine Drive police station, to understand their work. 

How does it feel to take up a new job like this? 
It feels great but at the same time, it is a huge responsibility. We love this work as it helps us tackle the crime rate in the city. We have been appointed here since the past two weeks; we have a fixed routine, which we need to adhere. 

What’s the routine like? 
We work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and have a two-hour break in the afternoon. Our patrolling is fixed and we have to do our ‘rounds’. We focus our rounds on nearby colleges and also keep an eye on the promenades at Marine Drive. These are the areas that we have recognised as places that have more chances of crimes against women. Also, every time we receive a call for an untoward incident that might have taken place, we rush to the spot immediately to bring things under control. 

Tell us about the training conducted by your seniors.
Our seniors are very supportive. If we make a mistake, they explain the lessons that we can take from it. All the officers are extremely friendly. Every day, we learn something new from our seniors as well as from those who are on field. 

So, did you especially learn to ride a bike for your new job role?
Oh yes, (grins). We learnt to ride a bike and had to undergo exclusive training for the same. Now, we can ride comfortably and do our patrolling. We are a team of four officers and we all have our share of rides, work and laughs.  

pooja.patel@dnaindia.net