Even as concerns are being aired on the trust quotient of Chennai police, the city police commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal on Wednesday said those with complaints on social issues can always approach deputy commissioner level officials on their video grievance calls twice a week.
Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal
Chennai: “I am also available on video calls thrice a week. We are working on bettering the accessibility and improving the confidence of people on police. So far we have been getting good feedback. The public can access senior officers directly through a video call. Personal details of such complainants will be kept confidential while action would be initiated against culprits,” he told DT Next.
Trust quotient is an issue bothering activists as they find it difficult to complain with the control room or police station fearing leaking of information about them. “We lodge complaints at the control room because we don’t trust local police. When we complain of ganja peddling or illegal bars, we don’t want our name or contact number to be known to local police, because such information could get leaked to the accused,” noted ‘Citizen’ Senthil, an IT professional turned social activist from Ayyappanthangal.
“A 100 per cent foolproof communication system at grass root level may not be possible. And in certain cases, if more information has to be collected, the control room will have to pass the contact details to the local station. If one contacts officer in the level of deputy commissioners, strict confidentiality could be maintained. At station level some times, due to various reasons, the information tends to leak,” disclosed a senior police official.
According to K Devarajan, another activist who had been fighting illegal functioning of Tasmac bars during early morning hours before COVID-triggered lockdown, he used to get threatening calls from bar owners once he lodges a complaint. “It is possible that there will be someone at the station in their payrolls. Such cops would inform those running the bars and give details on the complainant,” Devarajan said.
Trust quotient is an issue bothering activists as they find it difficult to complain with the control room or police station fearing leaking of information about them. “We lodge complaints at the control room because we don’t trust local police. When we complain of ganja peddling or illegal bars, we don’t want our name or contact number to be known to local police, because such information could get leaked to the accused,” noted ‘Citizen’ Senthil, an IT professional turned social activist from Ayyappanthangal.
“A 100 per cent foolproof communication system at grass root level may not be possible. And in certain cases, if more information has to be collected, the control room will have to pass the contact details to the local station. If one contacts officer in the level of deputy commissioners, strict confidentiality could be maintained. At station level some times, due to various reasons, the information tends to leak,” disclosed a senior police official.
According to K Devarajan, another activist who had been fighting illegal functioning of Tasmac bars during early morning hours before COVID-triggered lockdown, he used to get threatening calls from bar owners once he lodges a complaint. “It is possible that there will be someone at the station in their payrolls. Such cops would inform those running the bars and give details on the complainant,” Devarajan said.
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