Of 3,000 complaints on Himmat app, only 45 genuine: Police

Sources said only 45 complaints were genuine. In most cases, people just dialled the SOS number after downloading it as they wanted to ensure that the app was working and that police action would be taken.

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“A few weeks ago, a woman informed police on Himmat that an auto-rickshaw driver was misbehaving with her in Lajpat Nagar. After receiving the call, a PCR van rushed to the spot and found that the woman and the driver were involved in argument. Later, after recording the woman’s statement, police came to know that she had an argument with the driver and to check the assurance of Delhi Police, she made a call through Himmat app,” an officer said.

Explaining how the app worked, a senior officer said the user can send an alert by shaking her phone or by pressing the power button.

“As soon as the distress button is pressed, it will trigger a 30-second audio and video recording on the phone which will be relayed to the PCR. The woman will get a call back from the PCR. An SMS alert will also be sent to a minimum of five friends and relatives of the user and a status will be posted on her Facebook and Twitter timeline which will be connected to the app,” the officer said.

Initially, police received obscene video clips on the helpline number.

“We requested people who sent such messages to refrain from doing so as the number is for helping women. We lodged an FIR against six people who forwarded obscene video clips,” the officer said.