In the wake of the >death of a 70-year-old woman who was >murdered by a driver on call in Mogappair East on Saturday, the police are going all out to prevent crimes involving elderly persons.
The Chennai city police are in the process of preparing a list of agencies which provide the services of drivers and domestic help, an officer said.
It has also issued precautionary measures to be taken by senior citizens, especially while engaging people for household chores.
Recently, there have been many instances of elderly citizens being murdered by electricians, domestic help and drivers on call, and robbed of money and valuables. In October 2012, an elderly woman was murdered in Thiruvanmiyur by the domestic help. The woman was later arrested and the jewellery she had stolen, recovered. In May this year, in Defence Colony in Nandambakkam, a 75-year old lady was murdered by an electrician and 15 sovereigns of jewellery were stolen.
“The main reason for these murders is lack of verification of the servants’ profiles,” said a senior police officer.
Station-level officers have been directed to identify and collect the details of agencies in their jurisdiction which provide drivers on call and domestic assistants. “The agencies would also be asked to provide the particulars they have collected about their employees to the police station. If any employee of such agencies commits a crime, the agency shall be held responsible,” said the officer.
The agencies providing drivers on call will have to verify the background of the employees, collect their fingerprints, photographs and family details, a copy of their driving license, and their fingerprints before inducting them in the agencies. The agencies will also be required to furnish the particulars of their current employees to the nearest police station, the officer said.
Similarly, agencies providing the services of domestic help will also have to collect the particulars of the individuals such as photographs, permanent address proof, fingerprints, any local persons known to them as well as the particulars of the person who referred them to the agency. The details will then be handed over to the local police station, so that the profiles of the servants may be verified before they are employed.
The police have advised senior citizens to verify workers’ identities with the local police station. “Residents should fix a magic eye and use sturdy chains on the front door, install CCTV cameras and keep valuables in bank lockers. They should also avoid revealing any personal information to the domestic help and employ them through registered organisations,” the officer said.
