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Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria involves NGOs on security for elders

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Police commissioner Rakesh Maria and additional commissioner Krishna Prakash with representatives of various NGOs
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Commissioner of Police Rakesh Maria is planning some new initiatives through NGOs to improve the security of senior citizens.

The proposal involves visits by members of NGOs to the elderly and compiling personal details like names, age and addresses, as well as emergency contact numbers, at the regional police stations. A comprehensive database is to be set up within three months.

Maria discussed the issue at a two-hour long meeting with representatives of various groups working with seniors on Wednesday.

Sailesh Mishra, founder, Silver Innings, explained that the help of NGOs was being sought as the elderly were wary about interacting with the police. Mumbai has about 12 lakh senior citizens aged 60 and above. "There will be workshops to sensitize the police and educate them on the Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007," said Krishna Prakash, additional commissioner of police (South), who will be the nodal officer in this matter.

The police officer referred to the cases of some elders suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's who walk out of their homes and land up on the streets. "They are picked up by the police and land up in beggars' homes. We will co-ordinate with the squad dealing with beggars to help get them back to their families," Prakash told dna.

In the past three years, families of up to 45 senior citizens who have gone missing have registered data with NGOs. "Of the 45 complaints, 17 are from Mumbai. Only two persons have been found. With the co-ordination of the police, we may be more successful in finding these missing persons," said Mishra.

Among the other groups represented at the meeting were HelpAge India, Dignity Foundation, the Family Welfare Agency, Young Women's Christian Association, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bank Retirees Federation, General Insurance and Pensioners' Association and Federation of Senior Citizens of Maharashtra.

The work will also cover old age homes. The police plans to take up the issue of insufficient homes with the department of social justice and family welfare.

It was also proposed to conduct a 'Jan Sunwai' at a zonal level, every three months, to review complaints by senior citizens. Maria will preside over one of these sessions to hear for himself about the problems of the elderly.

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