123Pune.com

Pune, May 27: In the wake of a series of attacks on senior citizens, Pune Police Commissioner Jayant Umranikar has said all steps would be taken to protect them. He also outlined what they could expect from the police.

As the first step, Umranikar urged senior citizens to register their names at the nearest police station so that help could reach them during emergencies. “The senior citizens’ helpline will become operational from June 1,” he said, while addressing mediapersons during the Vision Pune talk at Patrakar Bhavan on Sunday.
Umranikar said policemen would visit the elderly once a week and discuss their problems. “The police will also provide life-saving drugs to senior citizens if the situation demands,” he said.

He also dwelt on the concept of planned policing initiated from 2006 in which the Ministry of Finance had said law and order was an integrated part of development. An efficient public transport system, decongestion of crowded places and diversion of heavy traffic from the city would go a long way in streamlining the woeful traffic scenario in the city, he felt.

Coming down heavily on traffic indiscipline in Puneites, the police chief stressed the need to educate the public to obey traffic rules. “Puneites are careless about traffic rules and have a tendency to jump signals. Self-discipline needs to be cultivated as enforcement alone cannot solve the problem,” he said.

The networking of all medico-legal vans would be completed along with a dedicated cell and trauma centre, he added.

Umranikar also spoke about the registration of complaints at police station. “There is a tendency of not registering cognisable crimes at police stations and dismissing them as non-cognisable. It is the foremost responsibility of the police to register cognisable offences, “ he said, advising policemen to patiently hear public grievances.

The commissioner expressed concern over the increasing influx of migrants, which, according to him could escalate the city’s crime rate. “Land prices on the outskirts have skyrocketed suddenly resulting in a lot of ready cash for the land owners. This is bound to attract criminals,” Umranikar said.

He said the police subheadquarters proposed at Chinchwad and Wakad would have a 100-strong police force.

Source:PUNE Newsline