Eight months after the Patna police introduced a downloadable verification form for residents to run a background check on household helps, the same has found no takers.

But with a rise in thefts involving household helps, the city police are going all out to ensure that residents avail of the facility. They have reason to do so. The city police on August 26 arrested four persons, including Sona Devi, who were behind a theft at the house of retired Patna University professor A.K. Ganguly. Jewellery worth Rs 2.5 lakh went missing from Ganguly’s house near Dinkar Roundabout in Kadamkuan police station area on August 22.

After investigating, the police nabbed Sona Devi who had worked for the Gangulys for 12 years. She confessed to the crime and said her daughter, son-in-law and son, too, were involved.

“Patna police’s website (www.patnapolice.bih.nic.in) was launched on January 26 and the same day two application forms, one for verification of tenants and students and the other for household helps, were uploaded on the same. These are available in both Hindi and English formats. The forms need to be downloaded, filled up and dropped at the police station, requesting the police to run a background check. The police had hoped people would turn up in large numbers for the verification. But the same has not happened,” a police officer told The Telegraph.

But now a move is afoot to make the move a success, Patna SSP Manu Maharaj said.

“A meeting will be held with DSP rank officers of the city. The officers will be told to organise public meetings in their respective areas from time to time and tell residents about the plan, its advantages and reasons why verifications are important. In addition, the Quick Mobile teams (pair of cops patrolling on bikes) will be tasked with visiting households and apartments and asking people to get background checks done. The form is easy to fill up and verification is fruitful for the people,” he said.

verification

Download form from www.patnapolice.bih.nic.in
Fill it up, attach passport photo of domestic help
Drop form at nearest police station
Cops plan to make such background checks popular
Verification forms to be sold at ‘May I Help You’ booths
DSPs to make residents aware of the advantages of background checks
Quick Mobile teams to visit households to press for checks