Mumbai police form special squads to rein in eve-teasing

The western suburbs police have formed 18 special squads to deal with eve-teasers on the night of December 31.

Every year, around this time, there’s a proliferation of the number of eve-teasing and molestation cases, and so the police are taking every possible precaution.

“People under the influence of alcohol often take advantage of the festivities and commit these crimes,” said Pratap Dighavkar, deputy commissioner of police, Zone IX.

Every team consists of one officer, two men constables and one woman constable. These squads will be deployed in civilian clothes at places frequented by large crowds, such as Juhu chowpatty, Bandstand and Carter Road.

Residents have also been told by the police that they can enjoy New Year celebrations, but not at other people’s expense. “We are asking people in our area to maintain a level of decency on New Year’s,” said Dighavkar.

In October, two youth were killed in an eve-teasing case causing a huge uproar in the city. The police are now attempting to make sure that such incidents are prevented.