MUMBAI: The aftermath of the horrific Delhi gang-rape case has produced some inevitable but welcome changes in the Mumbai police force. We spotted several Bollywood personalities at a specially organised Mumbai Police- Women Interface here in the city.

The Mumbai Police will reportedly organise five public interfaces to raise awareness about crimes against women, revealed commissioner Satyapal Singh. The first of which was held at Birla Matoshree Hall in Marine Lines. “In all, we will hold five such big meetings. The next one will be organised at Ravindra Natya Mandir on Wednesday,” Satyapal Singh said.

Bollywood personalities like Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Makarand Deshpande and ad-man Alyque Padamsee were seen at the Mumbai Police- Women Interface last evening. Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil was also present at the initiative, and made an impassioned speech.

Commissioner Satyapal Singh added: “Of the 232 rapes reported in 2010, only nine were committed by individuals unknown to the victims. In 2011, only 11 perpetrators in over 220 rape cases were not known to the victims. A majority perpetrators were close family members and relatives. It is important for women to keep a close watch on acquaintances who can be harmful.”

National Commission of Women (NCW) chairperson Mamta Sharma, who was also present, said, “In the aftermath of the incident (gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student in Delhi in December), women leaders of different political parties kept saying different things. It was important for them at that point to be united. It is also wrong that the sixth accused, said to be the most brutal of them all, may escape harsh punishment because he is a juvenile. The government needs to consider lowering the age for juvenile offenders.”