Sri Vijaya Puram, November 7: Police officials in South Andaman have held public hearings in Sri Vijaya Puram and Shaheed Dweep, providing residents with a direct channel to report grievances and seek intervention on issues requiring police attention. The initiative also raises the question of how regularly citizens can access senior police officials and obtain follow-up action on complaints.
The South Andaman District Police organised the Jan Sunwai programmes on November 7 at the Office of the Superintendent of Police in Sri Vijaya Puram and on November 6 at the Shaheed Dweep Police Station under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Swaraj Dweep. The programmes followed directions from the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
At the hearing in Sri Vijaya Puram, the Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District, personally met complainants and heard their concerns. Police officials recorded the grievances for examination and further action.
At Shaheed Dweep, members of the public and representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) attended the programme and placed their concerns and suggestions before the SDPO. The officer recorded the issues raised and assured participants that the police would address them appropriately.
The hearings were also followed by an interaction between the SDPO and participants of APARAJITA, a self-defence training programme conducted for school-going girls under the Lieutenant Governor’s directions. Participants expressed appreciation for the training, citing its role in improving awareness of personal safety, confidence and empowerment among girls.
The district police said Jan Sunwai programmes would continue regularly at the SP’s office and through the SDPO-level establishments. This arrangement is intended to allow residents of different areas to approach police offices closer to their locations rather than having to travel to the district headquarters to raise concerns.
The continuation of these hearings will determine how effectively complaints raised by residents translate into follow-up action. While the police have recorded the grievances presented during the latest programmes, the department has not provided details of the specific complaints or the action taken on individual cases.
The police said the initiative forms part of efforts to improve public access to police services, strengthen police-public relations and promote transparency and accountability.
Separately, residents have been advised to dial 112, the toll-free police emergency helpline, in case of an emergency. The service operates round the clock for police assistance.
