Use toilets under caution at this police station

SR Nagar: A toilet room at the local police station has become a persisting issue for the staff along with visitors and detainees. SR Nagar Police Station is one of the biggest stations in the twin cities, covering an area in which population is around eight lakh. 

Hundreds of hostels for both men and women are situated in the locality. The police station always looks busy with more people coming for various reasons. The complaints vary from theft of cell phones and laptops, gold ornaments and also against eve teasers. Apart from all these, complaints on local disputes, family issues, assaults, love affairs are also lodged in big number. 

When it comes for extreme necessity for nature calls, the visitors face hardships. In fact, the big police station has one toilet, but problem is that it has no facility of a latch, thus forcing people to use it without safety. Moreover, according to sources, the latches have been removed by the police themselves! When the door is not locked, others suddenly enter thinking it is vacant. This makes women face embarrassing situation many times. 

Speaking to The Hans India, a woman who visited the police station recently encountered similar situation and said at least a woman constable could have been there. Another woman said she felt humiliated because of this situation. A room allotted for women staff is being used as store room. Due to this, another toilet inside this room is left unattended.

What made the police remove latches?

Six months ago, a rowdy sheeter from Yellareddyguda created sensation by sending a video clip on social messaging app Whatsapp to his mother. He shot bruises on his body with his cell phone in the toilet and said the police tortured him. The then Police Commissioner Srinivasa Rao visited the station at mid-night and an enquiry was ordered. 

Police staff of the station removed the latches of the toilet to prevent detainees using cell phones inside. But in the last six months, people, especially women have been facing hardships while using the toilet. Women are requesting the authorities to arrange latches for the toilet to respect the dignity of women.

BY PB Pavan Kumar