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The newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, which had promised stronger measures for women’s safety in the state, has issued a Government Order establishing the Singappenn Special Force, a dedicated women’s protection wing seemingly modelled on the Telangana Police’s SHE Teams initiative.
The order, bearing G.O. No. 176, was issued by the Home Department following a proposal sent by the Director General of Police on May 9, 2026. Chief Secretary to Government K Manivaasan signed the order on behalf of the Governor.
The newly created force will function across Tamil Nadu with the mandate of preventing crimes against women, ensuring safety in public spaces, and undertaking rescue and rehabilitation measures for victims. Personnel will be deployed in identified vulnerable zones including bus stands, railway stations, educational institutions, malls, and IT parks. The force will also coordinate with NGOs and government departments to conduct awareness campaigns and counselling initiatives.
The Singappenn Special Force mirrors several features of Telangana’s SHE Teams, a specialised women’s safety wing launched in Hyderabad in 2014 and later expanded across the state. SHE Teams function through plainclothes personnel, surveillance, rapid intervention, counselling, and legal action against offenders involved in harassment, stalking, and abuse in public spaces. The Telangana model operates under senior police supervision with dedicated teams drawn from different ranks of the police department.
Similarly, the Singappenn Special Force will function under the direct supervision of the state police headquarters and report to the Chief Minister. The unit will be headed by an Inspector General of Police, the only newly sanctioned post in the force. The remaining 35 posts will be filled through redeployment of existing personnel from different wings of the police department.
The sanctioned strength includes one Superintendent of Police, two Deputy Superintendents of Police, four Inspectors of Police, eight Sub-Inspectors of Police, and 20 personnel from other ranks. Much like Telangana’s SHE Teams structure, the Tamil Nadu unit will combine senior supervisory officers with field-level personnel for surveillance, intervention, and victim support.
Officials said the force will be equipped with modern infrastructure and technology to monitor public spaces and respond swiftly to complaints involving harassment or violence against women. The government said the visible presence of the force is intended to improve women’s confidence and safety in public areas while ensuring immediate action against offenders.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM
