St Broseph, the savior for people in distress coming to Bengaluru

Dubey credits his father for being his role model in his childhood days. “My father used to do a lot of charity work when I was a kid. He used to give away saplings on World Environment Day. He also helped a lot of struggling artists with instruments they needed…..whatever charity he could do, he did with his own hands,” he says.

Dubey started volunteering with animal welfare associations in his native Gujarat, eventually finding himself in a place where he had made enough contacts and connections to help other people. A portrait of former Defence Minister George Fernandes hanging in his home is another source of inspiration.

When the pandemic struck, Dubey, who had been residing in Bengaluru since 2016, remained in the city to help, including volunteering with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and helping to find beds for Covid patients. He also came into contact with the then police commissioner Bhaskar Rao, who gave him the confidence that charity work could be done along with the authorities.

He began reaching out to those who needed help over Reddit after the pandemic, as people coming to Bengaluru without a clue about the city often ended up with various issues to deal with – from corruption to rowdies. According to Dubey, Reddit provided these people with a degree of anonymity while they disclosed their platforms. And unlike other platforms, where the post would have to be shared and liked before it would even be seen, a post here would immediately be visible to the whole forum, which has over 400,000 members.

“Initially there are issues related to landlord. There would be issues related to rowdyism, women being assaulted, stalked or threatened, getting an FIR registered, or an issue where the police might have done something wrong,” he says.

Virtually every issue under the sun comes to Dubey. He has also put his wallet on the line, funding therapy for fellow Bengalureans and also renting an apartment as a “safehouse” for anyone who might need it – from people receiving threats to those who might have fallen on hard times. An app is also in the works to cut down on the time needed to get in touch with him.

However, it hasn’t always been a smooth ride for Dubey. Once there was an incident where a young woman was sexually harassed by a policeman. After initially registering the complaint, the victim was understandably afraid to take the process forward. Dubey pushed on, worried that there might be other victims in the future as well. With the help of the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Anoop Shetty, and the ACP of Sampigehalli, he cooperated with the investigation and made statements. “They have told me the officer has been fired….at least he will not be able to do it to other women,” Dubey says.

Dubey’s hands are full as he has been juggling work and charity work for the people of Bengaluru. The task is made more difficult by the fact he now receives 10 to 20 calls a day asking for help. He has no intention of slowing down either. “This is where I am needed. ‘Broseph’ has become something which is bigger than me,” Dubey smiles.