VISAKHAPATNAM: Bhavana Saxena, the first woman IPS officer posted in Visakhapatnam Commissionerate, is clear on one thing - that no one should hesitate to knock at her door to get justice.

Ms. Saxena, who belongs to 1996 batch, had her maiden posting in Khammam. She worked as ASP of Guntur, SP of West Godavari, Khammam and Vizianagaram and DCP (traffic) in Cyberabad. Before her transfer to Visakhapatnam as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, she was the Commandant of APSP battalion at Kakinada.

"Vizag is a lovely city and people are also good. It is known as a peaceful city. But there is no scope for complacency," she told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Ms. Saxena, wife of Praveen Prakash, Chairman and Managing Director of Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd., of Andhra Pradesh, says that she will take sometime to familiarise with the problems of the city.

She has been given exclusive charge of law and order. "The city's population is growing. It is becoming an industrial hub. There is also real estate boom because of which encroachment and other land-related disputes are likely to arise," she says.

Ms. Saxena feels that the problem of industrial workers and white-collar offences also need special attention. Police personnel will be trained to tackle cyber crimes and financial offences, like those involving chit funds.

Women's problems

Being a woman officer, she thinks that the oppressed and harassed women will feel more confident to approach her for redressal of grievances.

The women police station located near the police Commissionerate will be strengthened further.

Steps to address issues like sexual exploitation of women and trafficking of children and women will be taken.

"Anyone who wants can step into my chambers on Mondays as part of grievances redressal day or during visiting hours on all working days.

I will create a couple of e-mail IDs and circulate it to all police stations and in the media so that people can e-mail me their complaints," she says.

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