The city police commissioner on Wednesday urged the elderly who live alone to register with Pronam — a police initiative to address concerns about their security and provide them help with their daily needs as well as on legal matters.

The request came at a time when the city has been witness to break-ins at residences where the elderly live all by themselves.

“Those who live alone and are above the age of 60 should register with Pronam as early as possible. We have a dedicated team who will visit your house to understand your problems, and also communicate to you the steps that will help you remain safe and secure,” said Manoj Verma, commissioner, Kolkata Police, on the sidelines of a school visit off Central Avenue.

Metro reported on Tuesday the woes of the elderly who are vulnerable to attacks at home while their children living abroad or in another city helplessly fret over their safety.

“In a crisis or during any emergency, if you need help, the members of Pronam will immediately reach you. This will include reviewing your security and telling you how it can be improved,” said Verma responding to a request to give a message to the elderly.

The brazenness of two back-to-back attacks — one, off Central Avenue where a 68-year-old woman was robbed and the second at an elderly couple’s two-storeyed house in Dum Dum — has left many shaken.

The police chief was at St Stephen’s School in Bowbazar on Wednesday morning and spent an hour interacting with the students and teachers.

During the interaction in the school, Verma mentioned Pronam when a teacher asked him about the vulnerability of the elderly living alone despite CCTVs (closed-circuit television cameras) installed at homes and verification of documents of domestic help whom they hire.

“We have dedicated teams who interact with them (the elderly) and who take care of all their needs.... We have about 22,000 such people (elderly) registered with us. My suggestion will be to leave it to the police. Basic things like installing CCTV cameras and not allowing anybody who is not known to you to enter your house are necessary,” he said.

“If you trying to hire someone as help, collect the details and share them with the local police station. It is mandatory when you are hiring somebody as help or letting the house on rent to somebody to inform the local police so that the data can be verified. The best method is that you register with Pronam. We give dedicated teams who take care of all the elderly who are registered with us,” he said.

The forms for Pronam are available at all the police stations, said Verma.

The membership of Pronam is open to anyone who is above 60 and living alone.

They have to reside within the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police and have to be an Indian
citizen.