Mobile courts can now try stalkers on the spot by sentencing them to one-year imprisonment or fining or both.

A gazette notification was issued to this effect yesterday empowering the executive magistrates to try stalkers. This has been done by incorporating Section 509 of the Penal Code into the rules of the Mobile Court Act 2009.

The amendment has been brought about in a bid to strap up the alarming trend of stalking across the country.

Earlier, home ministry sent a proposal, to include stalking in the mobile court law's scheduled offences, to law ministry for approval.

The Section says whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine or with both.

The government amended to the Mobile Court Act for the 93rd time to add the section.

Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told reporters that the mobile courts will conduct drives in the stalking-prone areas.

Earlier, the government decided to operate mobile courts in every district against stalking of girls and women that recently caused deaths to a number of people in different parts of the country.