Elderly claim beat policing has taken a beating
29 Jun 2008, 0510 hrs IST,
By Dwaipayan Ghosh,TNN
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police's tall claims of emerging as the saviour of the city's vulnerable senior citizen population and providing them emotional support has fallen flat on its face.
Even as the number of elderly people who registered with the senior citizens' cell touched 7,388 — a jump of 2,000 over last year — they are a disillusioned lot. The good intent, they say was there only for the first few months when the beat constable was a regular visitor. But now, all that has fizzled out and they continue to live in apprehension.
"It is difficult to keep in touch with the beat constable. Initially, they visited our house twice every month, but with the passage of time, these visits became erractic. Though, the police promised us to be there whenever required — even to run small errands — the promise never materialised. Worse, some policemen posted even at the cell do not try to understand our problems," said Atul Mathur, a retired bank employee living in Kalkaji.
Added another senior citizen of Mayur Vihar, citing the example of his servant verfication. "It is almost four months since I applied for my servant's verification. The process is yet to be completed. Who guarantees my safety in the interim?" he said.
Police too are concerned over the rising number of elderly who are forced to stay alone, and blame this trend on breakdown of family traditions. In south Delhi district alone, the rise has been phenomenal. From a total of 1,723 citizens last year, south Delhi at present has 2,580 senior citizens living alone. Incidentally, most of the crimes against senior citizens have occurred in this district.
Abridged
SOURCE: TimesOfIndia
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