Elderly seek the khaki umbrella for their security

ALLAHABAD: Everyday, eighty two-year-old homeopathic doctor Dinesh Prasad finds shady men loitering around his Purana Katra house, consuming liquor and entering into brawls. Feeling threatened, Dr Prasad approached police authorities, but things remain the same.
Dr Prasad says, "I wonder why district police authorities do not take proper action on complaints lodged by elderly citizens.The district police should start a separate helpline number for the elderly so that they have someone to go to in time of a security crisis."
Retired railway official RK Pandey says, "Cops do not receive their calls when called. They must take cases or complaints of the elderly on priority basis and there should be a separate team to handle the cases." The recent killing of an elderly grocery store owner in a remote village of the district has made senior citizens worry about their safety. But the only real option they have is to depend on the khaki clad to save themselves and their properties.
Cops said while security of senior citizens has remained a cause of concern in the district, no proper mechanism exists to ensure security for the elderly. While a senior citizen cell has been set up to resolve their grievances, not much has been done till date despite the fact that such cases are piling up at the police station. The cops also do not have any record of senior citizens residing alone. Last year, police authorities had assured that they would hold regular meetings with the elderly and would hear their grievances.
Besides being targeted by criminals, many senior citizens are also subjected to domestic abuse. Many victims, however, fear banishment from the family and refrain from lodging a complaint with the police.
SP, City, Rajesh Yadav told TOI, "We are looking at the grievances of the elderly on priority basis and the cops posted at senior citizen cell have been asked to initiate corrective measures in each and every complaint."