The Hyderabad police is working on a proposal to use the special ‘Child-Friendly Court’ here, currently dealing with POCSO Act cases, for trying all cases relating to atrocities against women and children, to enable their speedy disposal.
After obtaining permission from the High Court, the first special ‘Child-Friendly Court,’ started functioning here last month at the ‘Bharosa’ centre of the city police, to ensure speedy disposal of child sexual abuse cases.
The city police is now mulling to make use of the special ‘Child-Friendly Court’ to take up all cases of atrocities against women and children reported under the limits of Hyderabad Police Commissioner and to fast track them.
A proposal to this effect is being prepared, a senior police official has said.
“Right now the ‘Child Friendly Court’ is dealing with cases under the POCSO Act only. Once this (functioning of this court) stabilises, other cases can be taken up,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT, Hyderabad Police) Shikha Goel told PTI.
“The idea is that such cases will also get fast-tracked. We are working on it (to send proposal),” she said.
“Certain days can be earmarked only for POCSO cases and other days can be earmarked for other cases… but it (proposal) is in a nascent stage…we are working on that line,” she explained.
‘Bharosa,’ an initiative of Hyderabad City Police, is a state-of-the-art centre to support women and children who are victims of violence.
Since its inception in 2016, a total of 3,560 victims have approached ‘Bharosa’ centre with a range of problems.
Of these over 2,600 sought aid with regard to domestic violence. A total of 339 cases under POCSO Act were reported to Bharosa Centre apart from 86 cases of rape so far. Already 7 convictions in POCSO cases with sentences of 3 years and 10 years have been awarded.
However, under Hyderabad Police Commissioner there was a 10 percent reduction with regard to overall crime against women in 2017 with 1,886 cases reported as against 2,099 cases in 2016.
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