Chandigarh/Mohali, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Police’s Saanjh Rahat Kendras have emerged as a community support model for women in distress, providing counselling, crisis intervention, legal assistance and rehabilitation services across the state, officials said on Thursday.
Launched with the objective of strengthening women’s safety, the initiative that began with two trained counsellors at the Saanjh Rahat Kendra in Mohali has now expanded to Civil Hospitals in SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
Over the past two years, the centres have registered nearly 1,069 cases and screened 1,656 cases involving women seeking support, according to the Punjab Police.
Punjab Police Director General Gaurav Yadav said the four operational Saanjh Rahat Kendras were helping women overcome trauma and rebuild their lives by ensuring timely intervention and support.
“At present, there are four Saanjh Rahat Kendras located in SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Jalandhar, helping women in distress overcome their trauma and lead normal lives. Such initiatives reflect the Punjab Police’s commitment to women’s safety by ensuring proactive intervention at an early stage so that violence against women is prevented,” he said.
The DGP highlighted cases handled by the centres to underline their impact. In one case from Mohali, a woman approached the Saanjh Rahat Kendra after allegedly facing physical assault and threats from her husband. The team ensured her safety, arranged secure transportation, escorted her to her parental home and initiated legal proceedings.
In another case, a pregnant woman who was allegedly abandoned by her husband and family was admitted to hospital in a critical condition. The Saanjh Rahat Kendra team provided counselling, facilitated her treatment at PGI, and supported her during nearly two months of medical care. After she suffered a miscarriage, the team continued to provide emotional support and later assisted her in finding employment and reconnecting with her family.
Apart from Saanjh Rahat Kendras, the Punjab Police has also undertaken several women and child safety initiatives.
Under the Jagriti Programme, Punjab Police Mahila Mittars visited 12,482 schools and sensitised 11,75,010 children aged between six and 12 years over the last nearly two years. During the same period, 76,299 principals, teachers, staff members and other employees were also sensitised.
Through Women Help Desks, the police conducted 69,329 outreach activities over the past five years on issues including cybercrime, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, child marriage, juvenile justice, drug abuse and gender sensitisation.
Special Director General of Police, Community Affairs Division, Gurpreet Kaur Deo said the SAANJH ecosystem, launched in 2011, had played a significant role in strengthening police-public connect through initiatives such as Yuva Saanjh, Jagriti and the Student Police Cadet Scheme.
“The Saanjh Rahat Kendra is a unique intervention that provides counselling, police assistance, and legal support to women in need, thereby addressing a critical gap,” she said.
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