Coming soon : Anti-rape device from Andhra Pradesh

Three students of Jyothishmathi College of Engineering & Technology are on the verge of developing Nirbhaya Jyothi, an anti-rapeA device. Using a wireless control system, an electric weapon and GPS to alert policemen, it can also be used as a self-defence weapon

Yuvraj Akula

In a move to prevent sexual assaults against women, three third year students of Electronics & Communication at Jyothishmathi College of Engineering & Technology, Shamirpet, are working on an anti-rape device named 'Nirbhaya Jyothi'.

The project has been named after brutal sexual assault on Jyothi Pandey, gang rape victim.A "The goal of the project is to bring a day when girls will be free to move on streets at any time and place," says project leader Raj Kumar Dubey. Every 26 minutes, a woman is molested; every 34 minutes a rape takes place in India.

According to National Crime Records Bureau, in 2011, 42,968 molestation cases, 8,570 sexual harassment cases and 2, 28,650 crimes against women were reported in the country. Most of the cases related to violence against women go unreported.

But the brutal sexual assault on 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in New Delhi sparked off a nationwide outrage about the safety of women in India. A month ago, a five-year-old was abducted and raped by her neighbours in New Delhi. Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, an 80-year-old woman was raped a week ago. Considering Law takes its own course and time in India, prevention is better than cure. Thinking on these lines, the trio - Raj Kumar Dubey, Shelja Singh and Steffina Princy - are set to develop Nirbhaya Jyothi.

Nirbhaya Jyothi uses a wireless control system equipped with electric weapon and GPS. The device uses three-step wireless alarms set up in police control room and in every police station. Equipped with GPS, it locates the object accurately.

"Whenever a girl senses trouble, she can activate the device which uses radio waves and sends the signals thus alerting the police at the nearest police station. Currently, the device works on radio waves. We are planning to use internet and GPS to trace the signal," says Raj Kumar Dubey.

The best feature of the device is the attached spy camera which turns on automatically within five minutes of the first alarm and records raw footage. "The device is also equipped with an electric weapon which can be used by the girl to defend herself in case she does not get any response from control room or nearest police station. "The wireless weapon's control will be at the nearest police station. If they are unable to reach to the object (girl), they can switch on electric weapon which is with object (girl)," he adds.

"Some people may take advantage of this smart weapon. To avoid its misuse, the controls of the device will be placed in the police control room," says Steffina Princy, member of the project. A The device runs on a battery that can generate high power. The electric weapon is powerful enough to damage private parts of the offender.

This project is in its preliminary stage and currently each device costs Rs 5,000. "But when produced on large scale, the cost works out to Rs 1,200," says Shelja Singh, member of the project, Nirbhaya Jyothi. The project is expected to complete by July 15.