Friday, January 9, 2015

Fwd: [sss-global] Special police unit to protect the elderly





Special police unit to protect the elderly

-- KOLKATA: Teh murder of Kamaladevi Mintry, a septuagenarian who became the latest victim of the greed of domestic helps, is not an isolated incident in a city that has become increasingly unsafe for senior citizens. According to the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), the rate of cognizable crime against senior citizens jumped to 24.6% from 19.6% a decade ago. In fact, about 3-5% of all crimes committed in the state annually are against senior citizens.

A closer look at the crimes committed in last two years is perhaps the best indicator of how the seniors have turned into soft targets. Take for example domestic helps Shehnaz Khan and Toton Khan. In 2012, the duo had sent sleuths into a tizzy after being involved in several thefts at houses of senior citizens living across Shyampukur and Topsia areas. Then sweeper Shona Das murdered octogenarian Ranajit Chatterjee near Deshapriya Park for a few thousand rupees in 2013. Teacher Sulochana Chary paid with her life at Kasba the same year. Last year, Devkumar Mukhopadhay was murdered at Elliot Road. Just last month, 60-year-old Zahira Khatun was murdered in her sleep.

So how can we save the most respectable citizens of the city? Over last six years, the cops have harped on the need to get registered with their specific programme 'Pronam' that allows a senior citizen to call up cops and seek help instantly. But now, the police say radical steps need to be taken. The ministry of home affairs, too, suggests a separate senior-citizen wing for each city and district, the need to link every domestic help supply agency with cops, the need to engage with senior citizens regularly and establishing simple hot lines. Counselling the citizens on basic security measures may also serve the purpose. The need to re-organize the beat policing system so that suspicious movement can be tracked using some technical features
like mobile apps has been suggested as well. But there hasn't been much progress on ground.

Cops though agree on some "feasible" recommendations. "We are trying to implement a system where we will call them at regular intervals. They are free to call us anytime,'' said a senior officer. "We have also told them to be wary of certain men such as tenants who might try to usurp property using illegal ways,'' he added.

Police said while keeping someone as a tenant, they must ensure they have proper documents. "It is advisable that they get a photocopy of the originals even before the tenant moves in. The same should be forwarded to the cops," said a divisional DC.

"We have realized that asking servants to get verified is not enough. Merely 10-20% of servants working in even posh areas like Shakespeare Sarani, Salt Lake or Alipore are registered by their employers. Hence, we plan to penetrate the local neighbourhood to get more information on suspicious movement. This will mean more intense patrolling. Sourcing of information from private guards, washermen and even vendors by offering incentives may also help," said an officer.
V.RAGHAVENDRA RAO,
18/301,PriyaMangala Presidency Apartments,
MTP Road,THUDIYALUR POST,
COIMBATORE-641034.Tamil Nadu.
Hello- 0422-2646668-Mobile-9445306327.


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Posted by: Raghavendra Rao Venkatasubbarao <vrvrao45@gmail.com>



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