Chandigarh/Jalandhar, August 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Police on Tuesday launched the third and final round of its gender-sensitisation training programme, while also introducing an online Ministry of Defence (MoD) verification facility on the Punjab Police Saanjh platform to speed up background verification of newly recruited defence personnel.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav inaugurated the three-day Round-III programme, “Mainstreaming of Women in Punjab Police”, at the 134-year-old Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Police Academy (MRSPPA), Phillaur.
The initiative, being implemented by the Community Affairs Division (CAD) of Punjab Police in partnership with J-PAL South Asia and the Hartek Foundation, is aimed at promoting inclusive, gender-responsive and victim-centric policing. The final round will cover 1,453 nominated police officials, with mixed, male-only and female-only groups undergoing training on the three respective days.
“Through three statewide training rounds, 1,500–2,000 police personnel from 384 police stations are being equipped with the essential skills and understanding required for gender-responsive, rights-based and victim-centric policing, with special focus on women, children and other vulnerable sections,” Yadav said.
The programme has been conducted in three rounds since December 2025 and follows a Training of Trainers model. Special DGP Community Affairs Division Gurpreet Kaur Deo said 60 police officers from different districts had been trained as Master Trainers to take standardised modules to police station-level personnel.
Yadav stressed the need for empathy and sensitivity in police interactions with complainants and said the force must evolve into a more inclusive and gender-friendly institution. Referring to the Punjab government’s 33 per cent reservation for women in government services, including the police, he said women officers should be given operational responsibilities in investigation, intelligence and law and order instead of being restricted to desk duties.
Former Maharashtra-cadre DGP Meeran Chadha Borwankar and former Punjab-cadre DGP RC Singh attended the inaugural programme as Guests of Honour. Singh addressed “Gender-Responsive Policing: From Perspective to Practice”, while Borwankar conducted sessions on “Women in Policing – Leadership and Inclusion”.
Yadav also launched the online MoD verification facility on the Saanjh platform. The digital system is designed to reduce verification time for newly recruited defence personnel from several months to a few days.
MoD Director, Human Resources Aaron Pamei appreciated Punjab Police’s initiative and thanked the DGP and the IT team for developing the online verification module.
A documentary on domestic violence, produced by the Department of Mass Communication, GGDSD College, Chandigarh, was also screened during the event.
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