Sambalpur, Jan. 9: The district police have introduced a tenant verification service in the city.

As part of the service, house owners in the city will have to give the basic information relating to their tenants, such as their name, photograph, permanent address and the phone numbers, to the police.

The district police will cross check the details with their counterparts, prepare a database and share the information with the house owners.

In the first phase, the service will be provided to residents of four police station areas — Ainthaplali, Dhanupali, Khetrajpur and Town.

Police superintendent Prateek Mohanty expressed the hope that more and more people in the city would avail the benefit of the service.

“We are trying to make people feel more secured. This is a pro-people move of the police,” said Mohanty.

“Sambalpur will shortly become a municipal corporation. People from across the state and even neighbouring states are coming to the city and staying in rented accommodations. There are also incidents of people have criminal antecedents coming to the city. Often, they take a rented accommodation, commit a crime and escape. At times, goons also committ crime elsewhere and come here to hide. A tenant verification system would act as a deterrent against such elements,” said an official.

“It is a good move and it will make house owners feel safe. People must avail the opportunity,” said a local resident, Sanjeev Panigrahi.