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Members of the police-public relation committee that is on Facebook (top) at Telco in Jamshedpur on Friday. Picture by Bhola Prasad
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Jamshedpur, June 23: Uneasy about meeting policemen face-to-face? Fine, catch up with them on Facebook.
Telco and Jugsalai police stations in Jamshedpur have opted for the social networking route to build bridges and make friends with the community through an online committee.
Though 15-member police-public committees were constituted in most thanas across the state about five months ago after a directive by Jharkhand DGP Gauri Shanker Rath, only two police stations took it forward on Facebook this April.
So, when Kharangajhar resident and contract worker Santosh Kumar had to undergo police verification as part of a process to be eligible for an official safety card from employer Tata Steel, he did not immediately go to the thana. A search on Facebook put him through police-public relation committee, the group profile.
A few online exchanges later, a friendly policeman called him up on his cellphone. He went to the thana and got his job done in a matter of minutes without having to pay any bribe or face harassment.
Jugsalai resident Abdul Fahim needed to get his identity verified for a passport, but was apprehensive about entering a police station. Again, the Facebook link came to his aid. His verification was complete in 48 hours.
The Telco committee’s secretary Santosh Kumar Shardul said their Facebook profile had also helped in amicably sorting out 20 cases. The Jugsalai wing’s president, Nagendra Pandey, admitted that the number of cases solved was 10, but the impact was “formidable”.
“We have solved around 10 cases, especially relating to domestic violence. That is a great breakthrough,” he said, adding the committee sat for a meeting every Tuesday on the thana premises.
The Telco wing has also addressed issues from domestic violence to getting specific problems — like Santosh’s — solved and done extensive social work such as tree plantation and blood donation camps.
It posts pictures of its activities on the Facebook wall, invites comments and makes its profile interactive.
On June 20 near Telco Stadium, the committee planted 250 saplings of neem, karanj and others. On April 7, its blood donation camp collected 150 units. In July, it will host a counselling centre for drug addicts.
“These activities are about getting closer to people, while our online presence assures direct access. We hope people look at the police as their friend and protector,” Shardul said, adding that the Telco unit had also put up a hoarding with its name and number.
“The basic aim behind the committees is to bring the police and the public closer and sort out non-cognisable cases at the station itself,” said SSP East Singhbhum Akhilesh Jha.
“I am glad the idea seems to be working.”
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