The Karnataka government has launched two new initiatives- a fleet of patrol vehicles and a safety app for women- in a bid to ensure greater safety for women and children. Launched from the Vidhana Soudha or the State Legislature and partly painted pink, 51 Pink Hoysala or police patrolling vehicles have been added to the existing Hoysala fleet. The aim is to help keep an eye on the safety of women and children. Pink Hoysalas, police patrol vehicles, will have at least one woman police officer in them during the day shifts.
Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who launched the vehicles, said they would be posted at places where lots of women work or live – like colleges, hostels, or BT and IT firms. Police Commissioner, Praveen Sood, said, “We have identified the hotspots in the city where women are more vulnerable. They could be garment workers who are the lowest level in our economic strata. It could be the high-end Central Business District where there are pubs and bars.” Sharada Siddi, one of the women police officers who will be working in the Pink Hoysalas said, “I think it is very good because women and children face many problems in Bengaluru city”.
