Night helpline gets poor response,only 2 cases filed so far

According to sources in the UT Police,through the helpline,only two cases have been registered by the UT Police. One of the spots was about a quarrel in Manimajra and another was about an accident. These are apart from the five calls which were received by the DSP on duty on the first day when the helpline was launched.

Out of five calls received by the number on the day of the launch,most of the calls were mere suggestions and from those who were checking if the number was working or not.

While the IGP had started the number as a boon to the residents who can approach a DSP if the 100 number is not giving a satisfactory response,it is turning out to be a bane for the officer who is on duty. The calls mostly include calls by senior citizens and retired officers who suggest something or the other to the officer.

“An elderly person gave me a call thrice just suggesting some things for the police department and its conduct at 2 am. I was in the middle of a task at a police station. I could not have been rude to him and it was difficult for me ask him to let me do my work,” said one of the DSPs.

As per the norms,the officer who is on duty has to be in the field from 12 am to 5 am. When the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP),City,Naunihal Singh,was asked about how they keep a check on the DSPs on the field,he said,“There is a form that the officer has to fill in and submit in the headquarters. This includes the number of spots attended and the police station and police posts visited by the officer while on duty”.

“The mobile phone is primarily to facilitate that if the officer is at one place,and an emergency situation takes place at another place,there is a chance to keep in touch with the police team on the second location,” added the SSP.