Deputy commissioner Santosh Pandey answers questions by students at Calcutta Girls’ High School on Wednesday. Picture by Bhubaneswarananda Halder

Calcutta police have recently started holding interactive sessions with students in girls’ schools to create awareness on safety of women on and off the road and in cyberspace. At one such session at Calcutta Girls’ High School on Wednesday, questions flew thick and fast from the 100-odd students who attended the session. Deputy commissioner (central) D.P. Singh and deputy commissioner detective department (special) Santosh Pandey answered the queries, most of which concerned issues that affect even non-students. Metro prepares an FAQ after speaking to students and cops attending the sessions.

How can I figure out if someone is following me?

If you are walking, pause a few seconds and note the movement of the suspected stalker. It is very important to confirm that someone is actually following you before raising the alarm.

What should I do if a biker starts stalking me while I am walking?

Cross the road; the biker would not be able to get close to you by riding down the wrong way. Then dial either 100 or a friend or family members who can reach the spot quickly.

What should I do if someone is chasing my car?

Do not try to drive home. Drive to a residential locality and honk till people start coming out of their homes.

What should I do if I am being harassed in a moving Metro compartment?

Raise the alarm to alert other passengers and drag the molester out of the train at the next station. Hand him over to cops at the station and then lodge a complaint with Metro Railway officials or the police.

How do I know where I can get police help in an emergency?

Remember the location of the police stations/kiosks/pickets on the routes that you regularly take. This will speed up your reaction time in an emergency.

What should I do if someone grabs me on the road?

Do not hesitate to scream for help. Bite, scratch and kick — these comprise the first line of self-defence. Attacking someone to defend oneself is not punishable under law. You can also use an umbrella or pepper spray to defend yourself.

Apart from raising the alarm or running to the police, what else can I do to seek help?

Set a family member’s number as well as the police emergency number (100) on the speed dial of your cell phone.

How can I secure my email and Facebook account when people close to me know all my details and can answer the security questions asked by the websites?

Passwords should never be shared with anyone, however close he or she may be. While setting up an account choose a security question whose answer is not known to anyone. Alternatively, make up the answer to the security questions so that nobody else knows them. For example, you do not need to answer a question like “what is your mother’s maiden name?” honestly: you can answer it with a random word only you know.

Is it possible for a person whom I block on email or Facebook to contact me again?

A blocked person would be able to contact you using other email addresses and by creating new social networking profiles. In case he/she does that, report the matter to the cyber police station at Lalbazar (phone numbers 22143000/3004/1420). The matter can be reported online on the Facebook page of Calcutta police (search Cy-KOP).

Where should I report harassment through missed calls, SMS and/or emails?

Dial ASK (anti-stalking helpline) at Lalbazar at 8017100100

Where can I report taxi refusal or overcharging by cabbies?

Dial 1073, the toll-free helpline, or post on the Calcutta traffic police’s Facebook page.

Can’t the police do anything to sensitise auto and taxi drivers who use abusive and obscene language?

Taxi drivers are made to undergo sensitisation training at the police training school from time to time.