Soon, Uttar Pradesh girls to fight crime with martial arts

Amidst rise in cases of crime against women, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday directed that martial arts training for girls should be introduced in schools and colleges so that they can learn self-defence.

Yadav, who was reviewing the 24X7 1090 women helpline, asked Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan to make arrangements for providing training in martial arts to girls in schools and colleges from the next academic session.

The 1090 women helpline is a one-state one number service to handle cases of harassment by vulgar and abusive callers and stalkers.

"In the review meeting in which state police Chief A L Banerjee and ADG Sutapa Sanyal, in-charge of the women cell in the DGP office were also present, Yadav directed for effective and regular monitoring of women related crimes," an official statement in Lucknow said.

"Action in these cases should be taken promptly and with full sensitivity," the chief minister directed.

Stressing on the need of making the women helpline more effective, Yadav asked DGP Bannerji and ADG Sanyal to conduct surprise inspections at the office of the helpline, saying that this would also check the quality of work done by it, the statement said.

"The government has already issued instructions to officials to take prompt steps to maintain dignity of women and provide proper protection to them," it said.

The chief minister has issued clear orders to take strict action against all those involved in crime against women, the statement said.

Image: A student takes self-defence classes in New Delhi. Photograph: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters