More eve-teasers on the prowl

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In a shocking revelation, the Kochi special branch said that the wing had held 322 eve-teasers from the city since January.

The police also confirmed that eve-teasing was one of the most frequently committed crimes in Kochi.

According to the police, the special branch catches at least two eve-teasers a day and between 60 and 100 a month. The nature of teasing varies from attempt to get phone numbers to exhibitionism.

After witnessing the rise in the number of eve-teasing incidents, the city police commissioner, Mr. M.R. Ajith Kumar, directed the special branch to form a women's wing to nab the teasers. Women's squad in mufti is already operating in the crowded areas in the city.

The aim, said police officials, is to stamp out eve-teasing and hooliganism. "Our priority is to ensure that Kochi leads a smooth life without any untoward incidents," said Tomy Sebastian, assistant commissioner of the special branch.

Women's squad members said the walkway at Marine Drive, Subhash Park, South KSRTC bus stand and theatre premises were places where most eve-teasing cases occurred.

A woman cop, who is a member of the special squad, told Deccan Chronicle that teasers often approached school girls with indecent notions.

“A few days ago, we were standing on the MG road, when two school girls ran up to us and told us about some eve-teasers. They said a gang showed them currency notes and asked them to accompany them in a car. We immediately informed our male police officers, who arrived at the scene and took the miscreants into custody,” she added.