Police Handling of Domestic Violence Cases in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Police in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, use a two-tier system in domestic violence cases. More serious cases, such as dowry deaths and murders resulting from domestic disputes, are registered in the First Information Report for official police investigation and filing of charges. All other domestic violence cases are initially registered in a register called Community Service Register before further investigation. This article will compare the types of domestic violence cases officially registered by the police and the cases disposed of informally and will examine how recent domestic violence legislation affects the role of women police in dealing with domestic violence case.