Tripura's BJP government, in a significant decision on Saturday, reserved 10 percent posts in its police force for women to deal more efficiently with crimes related to them, a minister said.

"From now onwards, 10 percent posts would be reserved in all types of recruitment in police force for women. Currently there is four per cent women police personnel in the Tripura Police force," Education and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said after a cabinet meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the home portfolio.

Nath, accompanied by Agriculture and Transport Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, told the media that the state government took this decision keeping in mind Supreme Court's observation while dealing with Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

The minister said that in many states in India there is no such high reservation for the women in police force. "If necessary the 10 per cent can be further increased in future."

According to the minister at present out of 26,000 police personnel there are 1,200 women.

Tripura Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla welcomed the state government's decision saying that it would help greatly to deal with the crime relating to women.

"Women police personnel, I believe, would do better in cases related to women," the police chief told IANS.

He said that the state government has already set up seven all-women police stations across the state, including two in Agartala. Four more such police stations would be set up soon.

"Besides the state government has taken a series of steps to check crimes against women," the senior IPS officer said.

Another senior police officer said in order to boost community policing, PRAYAAS committee has been formed in each police station area to deal with policing. These will involve all sections of people, including former policemen, veterans and renowned personalities of the locality.

First Published:May 19, 2018 5:12 PM IST