Delhi police to launch special drive to recruit women: Shinde

The Delhi police will soon launch a special drive to recruit female constables and appoint more women personnel in police stations to instill confidence among women.

"I have directed the Delhi police to launch a special drive for recruiting women. We will hire more women in the Delhi police," said Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Shinde said he has also instructed the authorities concerned to deploy at least one woman officer in each of the capital's 166 police stations.

"Every police station should have women police personnel. I have also suggested that each of the 166 police stations in Delhi should have at least one woman police officer. We do not have that many police officers. But I told them whatever possible should be deployed till we recruit more women," he said.

The home minister's statement comes in the backdrop of public protests over the gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in the capital on December 16.

Asked about the condition of the girl, who is currently undergoing treatment in Singapore, Shinde said her condition continues to be critical.

He dismissed reports which suggested that doctors at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, where the girl was treated till Wednesday, were sidelined while taking a decision to send her abroad for better treatment, saying it was the doctors' opinion to send her abroad.

"Doctors of Safdarjung and doctors of other government hospitals were called. They were also consulted along with Dr Naresh Trehan (chief of privately-run Medanta Medicity) before taking the decision," he said.

Shinde said the government was ready to send the girl anywhere in the world -- be in Singapore, London or the United States -- for the best available treatment.