Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan said an exclusive control room set up for rendering quick assistance to women and children in distress began operations on Friday.
It will function like a police control room. It will be managed by women officers from the special wing for crime against women and children, at its Thousand Lights office. The staff will be on round-the-clock duty to attend calls. Senior officers in the ranks of inspector will monitor them.
H. Jayalakshmi, Deputy Commissioner of Police, special wing for crime against women and children, told The Hindu: “As and when we receive calls from women and children who are in distress, the information will be passed on to the Deputy Commissioners of Police, in the respective police limits. The idea is to render quick assistance and protection.”
Participating in an awarenss campaign at the Chellammal College for Women, Mr. Viswanathan called on the public, especially women and senior citizens, to make use of Kavalan SOS (save our soul) app, that was launched earlier.
A safety app
He said the app, which can be downloaded on Android-based mobiles and tablets, would come in handy during times of distress. The SOS facility can be used to alert the police and seek assistance in case of emergency.
“Chennai is the safest city in the country for women and children. Crimes against them are fewer in number. When crimes against women are reported, action is taken immediately,” he said.
Each of the 35 All-Women police station in the city is allotted a pink-coloured Amma Patrol vehicle.
The vehicle displays the child helpline number, 1098, and the woman helpline number, 1091. The helplines are functioning in addition to the exclusive control room.
The city police in the last three years have received 43,022 complaints from women and have registered 2,108 cases, according to police sources.
