The government said it would continue efforts to connect women with employment and self-employment, including dairy and animal husbandry, with a target of bringing one crore women into such livelihood opportunities. (AI generated Image)Bihar on Wednesday flagged off 4,700 two-wheelers for the police’s ‘Abhaya Brigade’, commonly called Police Didi, with the state government saying the deployment will strengthen patrolling around schools, colleges and other areas frequented by women and girl students.Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary launched the vehicles at an event at Gyan Bhawan in Patna ahead of Raksha Bandhan. Of the 4,700 vehicles, 2,700 scooters were allocated to women police personnel and 2,000 motorcycles to male constables, according to the Home Department.Director General of Police Vinay Kumar said women’s safety was “the most important responsibility of the police”. He said nearly 40,000 women had joined and been trained in the police force and were deployed across districts.“The new vehicles will allow women police personnel to conduct dedicated patrols, particularly around educational institutions. Our focus will largely be on schools, colleges and university campuses where our girls go to study, and also on adjoining areas,” the police chief said.He said two-hour beats had been fixed across cities, centred on colleges, with patrol timings adjusted to coincide with school and college arrival and dispersal hours. “At other times, when educational institutions are closed, the teams would patrol surrounding areas,” the DGP added.Around 4,700 scooters and motorcycles were being sent out from Patna, with districts receiving different numbers of vehicles.The Abhaya Brigade was announced by the Bihar Police Headquarters in December 2025 after then Home Minister Samrat Choudhary, soon after taking charge of the portfolio, said special squads would be deployed outside schools and colleges to curb eve-teasing.Story continues below this adUnder the police framework, an Abhaya Brigade unit at every police station is headed by a woman Sub-Inspector and supported by three constables, including one woman and two men. Teams are tasked with identifying harassment hotspots around educational institutions, isolated routes, markets, parks and transit points, and taking lawful action against offenders. They are also to maintain contact with educational institutions and spread awareness about the Dial-112 emergency service.Meanwhile, Home Secretary Pankaj Kumar described Wednesday’s vehicle deployment as “a new milestone” in strengthening women’s security through the Abhaya Brigade. He said it was expected to help control offences against women, particularly minor incidents in streets and lanes around colleges in cities.CM Choudhary said the vehicles would provide women police personnel better mobility and make them more effective in protecting students and dealing with women’s safety-related duties. He added that the response time of emergency service 112 had also fallen below 10 minutes, and there’s a target of reducing it further to 5–7 minutes.The programme also marked the launch of the Chief Minister Balika PhD Fellowship, under which around 1,000 women students will receive Rs 10,000 a month for four years for higher education and research. The Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge was also launched, offering women entrepreneurs financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh with 2,100 women to benefit.Story continues below this adThe government said it would continue efforts to connect women with employment and self-employment, including dairy and animal husbandry, with a target of bringing one crore women into such livelihood opportunities.Himanshu Harsh is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, currently leading on-the-ground coverage in Bihar. With a reporting career rooted in the complexities of the National Capital Region (NCR), Himanshu specializes in the critical intersection of law, crime, and civic governance. Professional Expertise & Credentials An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Himanshu brings a rigorous academic foundation to his investigative work. His expertise is characterized by a "ground-up" reporting style, most notably demonstrated during his extensive coverage of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he analyzed shifting political landscapes and grassroots sentiment. Specialized Beats Himanshu’s portfolio reflects versatility, allowing him to navigate diverse industries and social issues: Civic & Legal Affairs: Extensive experience covering the Delhi reporting beat, focusing on policy implementation and judicial impact. Automotive Industry: A technical background in reporting on India’s evolving transport and automotive sectors. 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