Anti-obscene helpline gets favourable response

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The anti-obscene helpline of the
Delhi Police here in India's national capital has received an
overwhelming response with policemen receiving over 550 calls
in the first fortnight of its operation and "sorting out"
nearly 50 percent of the complaints.

"We have received an overwhelming response. The helpline
received 563 calls in the first 15-18 days of the setting up
of the helpline," Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal has
said.

"Some of them were outstation calls and some of them were
related to other matters," he said, adding 227 matters
pertaining to lewd calls were sorted out.

"Basically, this helpline is targeted to address problems
faced by women. We will keep the identity of the complainant
confidential," he added.

The helpline has been set up under the Crime Branch of
the Delhi Police.

Besides complaints through telephone, the helpline also
has the provision for complainants to forward obscene text
messages they receive for taking further action.

However, police have so far not registered any case on
the complaints received at the helpline.

"We have not registered any case on the request of the
complainants. They just wanted the calls to be stopped and
they don't want us to register cases. We are verifying the
contents of the calls and action is being taken," a senior
police officer said.

Any woman who is being targeted by eve-teasers or lewd
callers can approach the helpline 011-27894455 where there
would be round-the-clock facility to look into such calls.

The helpline has been set up basically to cater to those
women who do not want to register a formal complaint, the
officer said. PTI