Starting next week, the Rajasthan Police will introduce a specialised women-led patrolling unit aimed at enhancing the safety of women and children in public spaces. The state police are set to launch the ‘Kalika Patrolling Unit,’ which will be easily identifiable by their blue uniforms with neon monograms.

Malini Agrawal, Additional Director General (Civil Rights), told the news agency PTI that the initiative will begin with 250 teams, each consisting of four female officers. "The decision to form these patrolling units stems from frequent complaints of eve-teasing and harassment in public spaces. Female constables and head constables will patrol these areas on scooters," Agrawal said.

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The teams will use black scooters and matching helmets, ensuring a consistent look that reinforces their authority and approachability. The units will operate under the supervision of senior female officers. A dedicated police control room and a helpline number will also be set up to support their operations.

These patrolling teams will be deployed in schools, religious sites, colleges, markets, cinema halls, malls, parks, tourist destinations, and other sensitive areas. Their primary focus will be to prevent crimes like eve-teasing and chain-snatching.

The Kalika Patrolling Units were first announced in June as part of the Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government's efforts to combat crimes against women and children.  The state had also announced it would expand its existing Nirbhaya specialised women’s squad and install CCTV cameras in public places, girls’ and women’s hostels.

In response to the rise in crimes against women across the country, various measures have been implemented to ensure their safety in public spaces. As of January 2022, women made up 11.75 per cent of the police force in the country, still below the 33 per cent target set by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. However, the number of women in the police force has increased from 5.87 per cent in 2013.

In 2021, Kerala Police launched the "Pink Protection" project, aimed at safeguarding women in public and private spaces. The pink-colored cars are equipped with GPS tracking devices and cameras. They patrol areas with high footfall by women between 8 AM and 8 PM. Each car has three female police officers, including the driver.

On the eve of International Women’s Day in 2018, the Delhi Police launched an all-women patrolling squad, designed to protect women from cat-callers. Similarly, Mumbai also operates women’s patrolling teams.  Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu pioneered the concept of All Women Police Stations (AWPS) in 1992, with the first station opened by then CM J. Jayalalithaa. This model has since been extended to all sub-divisional headquarters, and the state now has 222 All Women Police Stations.