Punjab Police’s Saanjh Rahat Kendras help over 1,000 women in distress :DGP

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Mohali, August 6

Punjab Police’s Saanjh Rahat Kendras have emerged as a key community policing initiative, providing counseling, legal aid, crisis intervention and rehabilitation to women in distress, with more than 1,000 cases handled over the past two years, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday.

Addressing the media, the DGP said the initiative, which began with two trained counselors at the Saanjh Rahat Kendra in Mohali, has now expanded to four districts, with centers operating at Civil Hospitals in SAS Nagar (Mohali), Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Jalandhar.

According to the Punjab Police, the Kendras have registered 1,069 cases and screened 1,656 cases during the last two years. The centers provide counseling, legal assistance, police support, shelter and rehabilitation services to women facing domestic violence and other forms of abuse.

“At present, there are four Saanjh Rahat Kendras helping women in distress overcome trauma and rebuild their lives. These initiatives reflect the Punjab Police’s commitment to ensuring women’s safety through timely intervention and prevention of violence,” Yadav said.

Highlighting the impact of the program, the DGP cited the case of a woman who approached the Mohali Saanjh Rahat Kendra after allegedly being assaulted and threatened by her husband. The police team ensured her safety, arranged secure transportation, escorted her to her parental home and initiated legal proceedings against the accused.

In another case, a pregnant woman abandoned by her husband and family was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. The Saanjh Rahat Kendra facilitated her treatment at PGI, where she remained under medical care for nearly two months. After she suffered a miscarriage, counselors continued providing emotional support and later helped her secure employment while working towards reconnecting her with her family.

Apart from the Rahat Kendras, Punjab Police has undertaken several initiatives focused on women’s safety and child protection.

Under the Jagriti Program, Punjab Police Mahila Mittars visited 12,482 schools and sensitized 11,75,010 children in the 6–12 age group over the past two years. During the same period, 76,299 principals, teachers and other school staff members also participated in awareness programs.

The Women Help Desks initiative has organized 69,329 outreach programs over the last five years on cybercrime, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, child marriage, juvenile justice, drug abuse and gender sensitization.

Special Director General of Police (Community Affairs Division) Gurpreet Kaur Deo said the SAANJH ecosystem, launched in 2011, has strengthened the relationship between the police and the public through initiatives such as Yuva Saanjh, Jagriti and the Student Police Cadet Scheme.

She said the network of Saanjh Committees across Punjab has played a vital role in promoting community policing, while the Saanjh Rahat Kendras have filled an important gap by providing integrated counseling, legal support and police assistance to women in need.