Quick response cells for abused women, kids a must in govt hospitals: HC bench

Government hospitals must have a quick response cell for abused women and children, and registration of an FIR, preparation of medical legal report (MLR) and FSL report should be done by this special cell. These were some of the suggestions submitted by the additional advocate general of Punjab, Rita Kohli, on Thursday complying with the directions issued by a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Earlier, the bench comprising Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain while hearing a case pertaining to a girl of Badshapur village near Patiala district, who was gangraped, and later she had committed suicide, had directed all the counsels representing Punjab, Haryana and UT Administration to submit their suggestions mentioning ways to curb crime against women.

Kohli also suggested that there should be facilities for psychiatric and psychological counselling that will be provided to such victims and mandate should be issued to all the private hospitals not to turn away from such patients. Moreover, women commission must also act as watchdogs in the interest of women.

However, responding to another petition filed by H C Arora seeking quashing of the Punjab government's circular dated August 8, 2011 envisaging/providing for premature release of life convicts, including those who are convicted for rape, by grant of remission to them of the balance sentence, Kohli informed the bench that modified policy was to be put up before the Council of Ministers, for approval.

Furthermore, replying to a petition against eve -teasing, DIG of UT Administration Alok Kumar, by way of an affidavit, apprised that on September 29, 2012, an anti eve-teasing squad of four gazetted officers along with male and female police staff was constituted by the UT police with an objective to control instances related to eve teasing.

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