The police are all set to throw a lifeline to families at the risk of suicide, crime, or self-inflicted injury.
‘Sensitized’ frontline officers at station houses will identify petitioners facing severe emotional or financial problems and mark them out for household-level follow-up, including counselling and visits by beat officers.
Inspector General of Police (IG) Manoj Abraham, who has thought up the scheme, describes it as an attempt to bring down the woefully high rate of suicide pacts and murder-suicides involving families.
The police will start counselling centres in all districts where volunteering psychologists will help parents and children manage their emotions and anger by persuading them to pause, reflect, and consider positive alternatives before acting impulsively and destructively.
Mr. Abraham says that hate- and passion-driven crime is on the rise in the State. Out of the 81 murders and 205 murder attempts reported till March, most were related to family disputes, extramarital affairs, and workplace and financial issues. Many were murders followed by the suicide of the killer.
Police intervention in domestic disputes has always been a matter of controversy. Hence, the department will rope in other agencies, including the Social Welfare Department, to help victims of domestic violence, including elders and teenagers who are trapped in abusive relationships.
The police say that, statistically, women, children, and elders face a higher risk of violence at their homes than in public. Most of the 335 rape cases registered till March were reported from domestic environments. Not a single instance of rape in a public place or facility was reported.
Investigators say that arrest and prosecution in domestic violence cases have been far and few. Families are loath to report such instances to the law.
The police feel that setting empathetic and discreet reporting of domestic violence as a priority for members of its neighbourhood watch scheme and supporting victims will help them curb the trend of rising household-level crime in the State.
