‘SHE Teams’ have caused quite a stir in our city, let it be in their quick responses or the way they deal with their cases. They sure did make women feel much safer here. And "Swati Lakra" is the cop behind this revolutionary9 concept. "SHE Teams" quickly became the saviour of city’s women and touted to be the main reason to make our city safe for women and reduce crimes against women. Her journey from a pampered child to the strong woman that she is today is quite inspiring.
Born and brought up in Ranchi, she did her schooling at Loreto Convent School in Ranchi. Her journey from Ranchi to Delhi to pursue Political Science from "Lady Shri Ram College for Wome"n changed her perspective completely. Initially, she was posted in her hometown but later she got transferred to Andhra Pradesh after marrying her batchmate BMD Ekka IAS, who is currently working in the Welfare Department. She was posted as Additional Commissioner of Police for Crime and SIT in Hyderabad.
During that time she stressed the need of women personnel in the department as only 5% of the whole consist of women. After that 33% reservation for women in the department was proposed and Telangana Government even initiated the process too. The idea of ‘SHE Teams’ was her brainchild which turned out to be a huge help to the women of the city. It wasn’t like women’s issues weren’t addressed or cases were registered earlier. But the priority these cases were given wasn’t very encouraging. What makes SHE Teams unique is their quick responses and how they have with time built up the confidence in city’s women. When conducted a seminar about SHE Teams in Aurora college, more than 800 students from different schools and colleges attended. This shows the trust that women have developed towards SHE Teams. With a strong aim to curb eve-teasing in the city and make it women-friendly, SHE teams are leaving no stones unturned to make this city safe for women. Any time when in trouble you can WhatsApp she teams on the 949061655 number and if it’s an emergency call the toll-free number 100 and they will track your location in 5 minutes.
This great initiative by Swati Lakra should definitely be applauded, for it made the city stand as top in keeping women safe. The way she treats the victims is what makes her a sensible cop. She is very particular about not victimising them further but dealing the case with empathy. She’s still trying to study initiatives for good governance in the country. A few months ago, she went to Gujarat to study the success of “181” counselling helpline for women. People like her who constantly strive for the betterment of the society are sure to bring a great change. SHE Teams under the leadership of Swati continues to keep us safe and reassured.
