Nagaland DGP calls for more women police, saying they comprise under 10% of the force amid rising crime reporting.
KOHIMA — Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma on Wednesday called for a drastic increase in the number of women police personnel, revealing that women account for less than 10% of the state's police force, including the Mahila Battalion, and stressing that more women officers are urgently needed to investigate and handle crimes involving women.
Speaking at a training programme for functionaries of Sakhi-One Stop Centres, police and the District Legal Services Authority at the Police Headquarters in Kohima, Sharma said women constitute only about 5-7% of the District Executive Force (DEF), with the overall strength rising to around 10% only after including the Mahila Battalion.
He disclosed that the police had proposed reserving 50% of Sub-Inspector (SI) and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) posts for women through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) about two years ago to address the shortage.
"Most police stations continue to tell us they need more women police personnel to deal with cases involving women," Sharma said.
The DGP also observed that while reports of crimes against women appear to have increased, such crimes have long existed in society.
"What has changed is that more victims are now coming forward and reporting these crimes to the authorities," he said, noting that many cases were earlier settled within families, clans, villages or customary institutions without reaching the police.
Sharma welcomed the growing willingness of women to speak out against abuse and urged society to encourage open discussion on gender-based violence to break longstanding prejudices.
He acknowledged that Nagaland Police has traditionally been "armed police-centric" and admitted that investigation skills and forensic infrastructure remain inadequate.
"There is a need for course correction. We are improving, but it will take time. Unless the mindset changes, the system will not change," he said.
He also described prosecution as the "weakest link" in the criminal justice system, stressing the need for greater involvement of government advocates and public prosecutors in capacity-building programmes to improve conviction rates.
Calling for greater public cooperation, Sharma urged victims and their families not to hesitate to register First Information Reports (FIRs), saying prompt reporting enables police to investigate cases effectively and strengthens the criminal justice process.
On preventing crimes against women and children, the DGP said many cases show early warning signs that should not be ignored. He stressed that rape cases cannot be settled through customary institutions or village councils and must be reported to the police and dealt with under the law.
Addressing the programme, Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) Chairperson W Nginyeih Konyak said survivors of domestic and gender-based violence must receive empathetic, professional and coordinated support. She urged officials to ensure confidentiality, dignity and trauma-informed care while handling survivors.
Additional Secretary for Social Welfare and Mission Director at Mission Shakti, Olemjungla Aier, informed that Women Helpline-181 and the Child Helpline are operational in the state, Sakhi-One Stop Centres have been established in all 17 districts, and a Shakti Sadan shelter home is providing long-term rehabilitation for women in distress.
The training programme was organised by the National Commission for Women in collaboration with NSCW and Mission Shakti.