Mangaluru: People must not pay heed to rumours regarding the activities of ‘a group that has been indulging in kidnapping children’, said DCP (Crime) Dr Sanjiv M Patil.

He was speaking at the SC/ST grievance meet at the Police Commissioner’s office in Mangaluru on Sunday. Anil Kumar of Kankanady said that the parents are not sending their children to schools, fearing the activities of ‘kidnapping gang’.

In response, the police official said that the public need not panic and could send their wards to schools without any fear, as no incident of kidnapping has been found during investigation.

Messages are being circulated on social networking sites but they are not true. If the public find any suspicious objects, vehicles or persons, they may immediately inform the police control room by calling 100, he added.

Vishu Kumar from Mulki complained that some drunkards create trouble at the Mulki bus stand and at KS Rao Nagar.

DCP (Law and Order) Shantaraju said that a vehicle has been provided to women’s police station. Problems related to issues like space constraints will be addressed to in due course, he said. Ramesh Kotian had complained in the last grievance meeting that women’s police station lacks space, generator, vehicle and other facilities.

Shantaraju said that the Commissionerate has written to the Mangaluru City Corporation regarding the misuse of community halls that are meant for use of people belonging to SC/ST, which was a problem mentioned by Lingappa Nantoor during the previous SC/ST meet.

S P Anand said that many are not aware of the facilities provided by the state government to people belonging to SC/ST through Ambedkar Development Corporation. Hence, the beneficiaries should be given information about it through media. Also, the selection of beneficiaries should be transparent.

The service bus stand in Mangaluru has become an abode of self-declared transgenders who harass people for money. He further said that the auto rickshaw drivers near Fr Muller Hospital in Kankanady refuse to ferry passengers, most of whom are the discharged patients from the hospital, to Ekkur and Bajal areas.

DCP Sanjiv Patil said that if the auto rickshaw drivers refuse to ferry passengers, the vehicle number must be noted and given to the police by calling the toll-free number 100.

Mukhesh said that there are no CCTV cameras in most of the schools and colleges in the city.

Raghuvir suggested conducting grievance redressal meeting for women from SC/ST, in the presence of lady police personnel. DCP Shantaraju directed sub-inspectors present in the meeting to send lady police staff to the meetings held in the respective police station limits.