Sept. 16: Women in the city got safety tips from police during the launch of an awareness drive this morning.

The cops have advised women to use only SIM cards registered in their own names and dial 100 whenever they needed help.

The awareness and sensitisation drive was launched jointly by the North East Girl Students’ Association and city police among students of Ignou’s Handique Girls’ College Centre on the college premises.

An induction programme among freshers of the centre was also organised.

“The police control and store details of all mobile phone numbers of different service providers. Whenever somebody dials 100 for the police, the mobile number along with the details of the owner is automatically recorded. This makes it easier for the police to help the caller. Very often people use SIM cards issued in others name for which we have to take caller’s details anew,” Leena Doley, additional superintendent of police, said.

It was found that only 10 girls of more than 200 students were aware of the service.

The association’s president, Munmi Dutta, said they organised the drive to make girls aware of the various ways to get help from the police in times of need.

“Today is the beginning of the awareness drive, which will be conducted in eight city colleges, including Handique Girls’ College, B. Borooah College, K.C. Das Commerce College, Dispur College, Pandu College and RG Borooah College,” Dutta said.

“With the help of a slideshow, Doley explained how the police control room coordinates between the public and the police stations to solve problems. Feel free to seek our help by dialling 100,” Doley said.

Additional superintendent of police (crime) Amitabh Sinha told the girls to dial 100 if they faced sexual harassment or eve-teasing.

“You can also dial 100 if you find the police were not cooperating with you,” he said.

He added they decided to organise the awareness drive considering the increasing crime rates in the city and the lack of awareness among people about the service.

Nabajit Dutta, a faculty of the Handique Girls’ College, said 1,530 students have taken admission in different undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma courses in the Ignou centre of their college.

He added the centre started in 1989 and is one of the oldest in the state.

In the induction programme, deputy director of Ignou’s Northeast regional office, Sanjib Das, explained to the students about the rules and regulations of distance education.