Vizag police launch helplines for disabled

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam police started on Friday a "Disha-Divyang Suraksha" programme, an initiative to empower and safeguard visually and hearing impaired individuals, coinciding with the World Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Inaugurating the programme, police commissioner A. Ravi Shankar said hearing impaired may contact helpline number 73373 24466 and visually impaired 73374 for assistance and support. Speaking on the occasion, minister Gudivada Amarnath suggested that an app could be launched to bridge the gap between law enforcers and individuals with



disabilities.

Disturbing statistics have emerged with about 14,000 cases related to blind and deaf and mute individuals reported in past five years. There have been 40 suspicious deaths, 13 marital quarrels, 10 cases of cheating, 21 missing cases, 10 rape cases, 11 property-related incidents, 23 frauds, 23 physical assaults victims, seven POCSO cases and 173 other cases.

Disha-Divyang Suraksha programme is expected to address and mitigate these challenges to a certain extent. Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari was present at the launch of the programme.