UP police escorts for women travelling alone at night

Lucknow: Police Response Vehicles (PRV) in Uttar Pradesh will now escort unaccompanied women to their destination between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Any unaccompanied woman, who is out on road during these hours could call a PRV to escort her by dialing 112, the emergency response service of UP police.

Director-General of Police (DGP) O.P. Singh issued the order in the wake of the recent spurt in crime against women in the state.

The DGP said: "The service has been started to provide better security to a woman at night. Any unaccompanied woman in distress, or otherwise, can use this service to reach her destination safely."

The PRV escorting the woman will necessarily have two women officials. Police chiefs of each district have been asked to make arrangements for the same.

Ten percent of PRVs in a district should definitely have women officials so that such PRVs could be sent to escort unaccompanied woman, the order said.

The district police chiefs have also been advised to provide the necessary training for the same to these women officials.

The DGP, last week, had asked all private establishments to make necessary arrangements for the safe travel of women employees who are on late night duties.