Pune Police Enforce Strict SOP For Women’s Safety In IT & BPO Companies 

In response to the recent murder of a young woman at a multinational BPO in Viman Nagar, Pune police announced that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) must be followed to ensure the safety of female employees working in IT and BPO companies. It will be mandatory for company administrations to strictly adhere to this SOP, and police will conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance, said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar.

A meeting was held at Magarpatta City with officials and employees from various IT companies to discuss women’s safety measures. Commissioner Kumar emphasized that Pune has numerous private companies employing female workers in both day and night shifts. Many incidents in the past involved assault and murder of female IT employees, often linked to cab drivers hired by companies for transport. Previous safety guidelines had helped curb serious crimes, and with the recent incident, the need for renewed and stricter guidelines has become essential.

Key Guidelines in the SOP:

Internal Safety Committee: Every company must establish a committee for addressing security concerns of female employees. It should include administrative officers, female employees, and security officers.

Security Audits: If a company has a large number of female employees, the local police station must conduct regular security audits to assess safety measures.

Social Media Coordination: A social media group should be formed with police officers (including sub-inspectors) and company representatives for quick communication.

Surprise Inspections: Police will conduct sudden checks at entry points, dark areas, parking spaces, and surrounding roads to ensure safety.

Communication & Collaboration:

Companies must ensure strong coordination between security heads, administrative officers, and police for quick and effective communication regarding women’s safety. Companies with a large female workforce will be inspected by crime branch teams, and Pune Police will distribute My Safe Pune posters and QR codes for emergency access. Regular police patrols will be conducted around company premises.

CCTV Surveillance & Transport Security:

CCTV Monitoring: Police will inspect CCTV cameras installed by IT and private companies. Additional cameras must be installed in critical areas such as entry/exit points and company premises.

Transport Safety: Companies must verify the background of drivers transporting female employees. GPS tracking systems must be installed in all company-provided transport.

Employee Feedback & Grievance Handling: Regular feedback sessions must be conducted to address female employees’ concerns. Companies must establish a grievance redressal committee to handle harassment complaints.

With these strict measures in place, Pune Police aim to ensure a safer work environment for women in the IT sector.