Ranchi, Jharkhand
Shakti mobile application of Jharkhand Police, which was not functioning for a long time, has now been fixed and can be downloaded by the users. This app, launched in March 2016 for the safety and security of girls and women in the state, was down while several crimes against women were being reported regularly.
Last month on September 23, Gaon Connection published a story in this regard — ‘Jharkhand police’s Shakti app for women safety does not work; call 100 or 112, says police’. Jharkhand Police took note of it and has fixed the app, which has started functioning from October 1. The app can now easily be downloaded from the state police’s website jhpolice.gov.in.
Speaking to Gaon Connection about the Shakti app, spokesperson of Jharkhand Police, Inspector General (IG-Operations) Amol Vinukant Homkar said that the department was working on upgrading the app.
“At present the app is in working stage and it is being monitored by four-five control rooms in the state… After getting a call over the app, concerned police station is immediately intimidated and due action is taken to ensure safety of the concerned woman,” the IG-Operations added.
“The department is working on more upgradation of the Shakti App and new features would be installed for improving its functioning to ensure immediate police support to women in distress,” Homkar said.
Also Read: Jharkhand Police’s Shakti app for women safety doesn’t work; call 100 or 112, says police
The Shakti app was launched in March 2016 by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in order to provide quick response to women in distress or facing a security threat. After downloading Shakti App, a woman can tap the ‘Help’ button in the app and the police get a call from the phone. Through location tracing of the said phone, police reach the women for rescue.
Despite launching various schemes, gruesome crimes against girls and women continue. Photo: By arrangement
However, this app was not functioning for a very long time. Member of Parliament (Council of States- Rajya Sabha) from Jharkhand Mahua Maji, who is also spokesperson of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) said that the police department should have taken action much earlier about nonfunctioning of the Shakti App as it was meant for women safety.
“No matter, the app was launched during the previous BJP government in Jharkhand. The JMM-led state government had never directed the police department to stop using the said app. It was an insensitive approach concerning officials of the Jharkhand police and due action should be taken against accountable persons” Maji told Gaon Connection.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in Special branch Chaibasa, Arvind Kumar Singh, said that that app was working till mid 2021 when he was posted at Composite Control Room (CCR) in Jamshedpur. “Might be due to software related technical reasons and upgrading issues, it stopped working. The office is thankful to Gaon Connection for taking note of the app’s not functioning, which led to its immediate resolution by the department,” he said,
Young women have welcomed the app that has been made functional. “I will download the app and motivate my friends to download it on their android phone. It will help us seek quick police help. I will also request the Women Cell in the college to conduct a special awareness session to motivate all females and their relatives to download this app,” Anjali Singh, a student at Karim City College in Jamshedpur, said.
The awareness about the Shakti app is low in the state. “Since awareness level about the app is low among females, I will suggest the state government take help from NGOs for spreading awareness about this safety measure. Women visitors at anganwadi centres in rural areas should be specially informed about this through pamphlets in order to control crime against women in villages,” Member of Parliament Maji said.
Meanwhile, almost 48 per cent of the Nirbhaya Funds remain unutilised in the state. Maji claimed that the Union government delayed allotment of the fund to Jharkhand. “I will appeal to the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, to ensure best use of the rest of the fund immediately for rehabilitation and welfare to the victims of crime against women and their family members,” Maji added.
Also Read: 1/3rd of Nirbhaya fund remains unspent despite increase in rape cases in India
