kolkata: Kolkata Police has come up with a unique idea to communicate with the police for the people in distress, specially women by setting up hotline kiosks across the city.
A trial run of the initiative has already been initiated. The same was checked by the senior Kolkata Police officials on Tuesday.
According to sources, a kiosk with a camera installed inside it has been set up opposite the Alipore Zoo.
On Tuesday Akash Magharaia, deputy commissioner (DC) of South division and Arijit Sinha, DC, Traffic visited the kiosk to review the system.
Magharia later informed that anybody in distress can access the kiosk hotline to seek help or report any crime using an SOS button.
A camera is installed through which the person in distress can start a video call with the police officer of the local police station and Lalbazar control room.
Also there will be a complaint booth where a police personnel will be deployed round the clock.
Police will act as soon as a complaint comes. "This kiosk has been set up on trial basis. It is not operational. Today we went to check it. Some technical issues have been found which will be rectified soon. After the trial is over, such kiosks will be set up across the city," Magharia said.
It may be mentioned that Kolkata has been declared safest metropolitan city by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB).
The NCRB report of 2020 which has been published during September this year states that the number of crimes committed in Kolkata has gone down compared to the figures of 2018 and 2019.