Page 41 - Seniors Today Febuary 2020
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help to register, verify and track senior citizens,
staff, domestic help, tenants, and workers/
contractors. Forty thousand seniors had
registered on this platform which helps police
maintain a database of seniors and manage their
security and safety. The following points should
also be kept in mind.
•Private security agencies can be used. Police
can take action via private security agencies.
•Neighbours should form local groups to help
and check on the welfare and security of seniors.
•Registering staff with photos is a must.
Housing societies must install cameras and
Keep your phone handy, and install an alarm app which
can alert security or your trusted contacts maintain office records of flat owners and staff.
•It is also important to install double doors with
So, for instance, if seniors are victims of grilles, as well as an alarm switch near main
property-related abuse, the police cannot door to alert building security in case of need.
help them? •Seniors should be educated in use of phone/
Such issues, so far as they are civil in nature, alarm/app to alert security or relatives in times
have to be decided by a court of law only and of emergency. The police control room number
the police do not have the right to intervene. should also be given to seniors. Everyone
Senior citizens will have to go to court to sort should keep the local police number on their
out the civil cases. The police has no authority mobile phones.
to get involved. In fact, they are prohibited from
interfering in civil matters. However, if there is Q. Will the provisions with regard to the
an element of crime involved in such matters, police in the Amendment Bill of December
the police are duty-bound to intervene and take 2019 help senior citizens feel more secure?
effective steps. A. Yes, of course. With the dedicated staff in
the police stations and in the headquarters I
Q. In which cases can senior citizens ask for am sure the senior citizens could expect more
police help? sensitised cops to attend to their problems
A. If a crime is committed against a senior with more alacrity. However, I would suggest
citizen they can go to the police to file a that prevention is better than cure and senior
complaint under Section 154 of the Criminal citizens could take little more precautions to see
Procedure Code. Also, if they are anticipating that they are not harmed.
some issue with regard to their security they
can inform the police to keep it on record and,
in serious matters, request the police to take
preventive action.
Q. What advice would you give to senior
citizens with regard to their security?
A. It is very important for citizens to come
together to ensure the safety of senior citizens.
I had launched a technology-based security
portal in 2009 called www.hamarisuraksha.
com that partners with police, government Often, seniors can be abused for property or other legal
matters, but the police can intervene only if there is a crime
agencies, businesses and citizens. The aim is to committed
41 SENIORS TODAY | Issue #8 | February 15, 2020
