Over 2.31 lakh complaints on crimes against women, children received on help desks in Punjab

More than 2.31 lakh complaints related to crimes against women and children have been received through Women Help Desks set up at police stations across Punjab, with the initiative helping make police stations more accessible and women-friendly, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday (July 11, 2026).

Punjab Police has established Women Help Desks in all 424 police stations, including 39 special purpose police stations.

Since their launch, the desks have received 2,31,677 complaints related to crimes against women and children, according to an official statement.

Between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2026, the Punjab Grievance Disposal (PGD) portal received 1,33,152 complaints related to crimes against women and children.

Of these, 99,692 complaints, or 74.8%, were assigned to and handled by Punjab Police Mahila Mittars (PPMMs).

The statement said Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has approved 93 electric scooters for women police personnel working under the Mahila Mittar initiative and Women Help Desks.

The scooters were recently flagged off by DGP Yadav to improve outreach and enable quicker response to complaints from women and children.

Mr. Yadav said the initiative has improved access to police services for women, strengthened gender-sensitive policing, increased public confidence and enabled timely intervention in cases involving vulnerable sections.

He said 848 Punjab Police Mahila Mittars have been deployed across all 424 police stations as part of the initiative.

Punjab Police launched the Mahila Mittar project in 2021 to provide a more victim-centric environment for women, children and senior citizens seeking police assistance.

Before the initiative, such complaints were primarily handled by male police personnel.

The State police currently operates 10 women police stations and 15 women cells that provide counselling, legal guidance and support services in cases involving offences against women.

Mr. Yadav said the presence of dedicated women officers has encouraged more victims to approach the police and has led to better reporting of gender-based crimes.

The statement added that Punjab Police has also begun an assessment of the Women Help Desks in collaboration with NGOs J-PAL and Hartek Foundation to evaluate their effectiveness.

Special Director General (Community and Women Affairs) Gurpreet Deo said the help desks have helped bridge the gap between the police and the public while giving victims confidence that they will receive assistance from trained and empathetic women police personnel.