Rural police appoint liaison officers to trace missing people

Coimbatore: The rural police have appointed women sub-inspectors and constables as Missing Person Liaison Officers (MPLOs) at all the 35 police stations in their jurisdiction in the district. Their main role is to trace the missing children, women and men without any delay.
R Sughasini, additional deputy superintendent of police (crime against women and children), said the liaison officers would help solve the missing person cases in a speedy manner. “It will be their responsibility to take over the missing person cases immediately after they are reported.”
The rural police had registered 72 missing person cases, 22 of them children, in April alone. Police had conducted a special drive and traced 43 of them, including 14 children. In May, 41 missing person cases, 10 of them children, were reported and the MPLOs traced all the missing children and another 23 people.
“Some women leave their houses because of family problems, while minor girls elope with their lovers. After tracing them, we bring them to police stations and provide them counselling. We have close rapport with the counsellors in the district,” Sughasini said.
Constable Lavanya, who has been appointed the MPLO at Thudiyalur police station, said she would inquire with the family members to collect the entire details about the missing person. “I take immediate steps to trace them. We have an exclusive WhatsApp group to share the details of missing people.”