Patna: Nearly 2,773 women and girls have contacted Shakti Suraksha Dal—a specialised police unit launched by the Patna Police to combat harassment of women and girls in public places—within a month. Two teams were formed last year in July under the guidance of SSP Kartikeya K Sharma to provide safe and responsive support to women, girls and girl students.City SP (Central) Diksha said on Sunday the two dedicated teams, operating in east and west zones near educational institutions and marketplaces, have achieved remarkable success through proactive patrolling and swift intervention. “In the past month, the teams reached out to more than 2,700 women and girls, provided counselling to 47 young women, investigated 55 complaints and forwarded 17 cases to police stations concerned for legal action,” she said.“In addition to complaints related to women, other types of complaints have also been received on the issued mobile numbers, which have been heard and appropriate guidance has been provided to the complainants. Some calls have also been received from outside Bihar. The teams have effectively resolved numerous on-ground challenges. They caught eve-teasers and anti-social elements at different places and counselled them, creating a safer atmosphere for girls. A Class X girl found loitering outside her school. She was counselled and safely reunited with her parents,” the SP said.In several life-saving interventions, the unit demonstrated exceptional promptness. A severely injured girl near Patna GPO was rushed to PMCH. On Marine Drive, an injured scooty rider was immediately transported to the hospital for treatment. During Ganga Aarti at NIT Ghat, a girl who fell from a 15-foot height, was rescued and provided timely medical care by the team.Diksha said the Shakti Suraksha Dal has also extended its support across borders of Bihar. “It facilitated the safe return of a girl from Gardanibagh, who had wandered to Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh, and helped a woman from Azamgarh, who came to meet Khan Sir, by providing bus fare so she could return home safely,” she said.The SP added: “Continuous presence and quick response of the teams have significantly boosted confidence among women and parents.” She appealed to all women and girls to contact the numbers without hesitation, assuring complete confidentiality.