Mangaluru : The Dakshina Kannada District Police on Monday launched the services of helplines for women, children and senior citizens (1091, 1090 and 1098) in its jurisdiction.

Speaking to presspersons after the launch, Superintendent of Police S.D. Sharanappa said 1098 is linked to missing child bureau too. The help lines have been launched in coordination with several government departments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), he said.

While volunteers of NGOs would attend to calls between 10 am and 5.30 pm every day, department personnel would attend to calls during the rest of the period. The help lines thus would be functional round-the-clock throughout the year.

While 26 cases of rape were reported in 2013, the numbers rose to 42 in 2014, the SP said. However, he attributed the increase to slight change in the definition of rape, wherein about half of the cases are related to love affairs.

Meanwhile, the district police have started initiatives to involve general public in policing activities. Community policing would be in vogue in the district henceforth, Mr. Sharanappa said. In this process, police would involve participation of general public in maintaining peace, harmony, public safety as well as detection and prevention of crimes, he said.

Mr. Sharanappa said the department has conducted several workshops to its officers to boost professionalism as well as sensitise them towards community policing, issues related to women, children and the elderly.

In the recent recruitment of police constables, the district got 50 constables, including 10 women. While 9 out of 10 women are from the district, only 7 out of 40 men are from the region, he said. Youngsters in the district appear indifferent to join the police force, he felt.