Greater Chennai: The Chennai City Police have rescued 2,541 homeless people and mentally ill people wandering the streets through their “Kaaval Karangal” project.
Chennai police launched the “Kaaval Karangal” project in April 2021 to rescue those abandoned by their families and unable to go anywhere.
Chennai City Police Commissioner Mr. Shankar Jiwal IPS told media on Tuesday that the project was being implemented for the public welfare in collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation and NGOs.
The City Police Commissioner said more than 40 organizations, including NGOs, were involved in the program to support and rescue families or the homeless.
Of the 2,541 people rescued, 1499 are being housed in care-giving homes run by NGOs, police said.
A police statement said 161 of those rescued had been rehabilitated with their families after their families were identified. Of those rescued, 159 were provided with mental health care at the Institute of Mental Health, police said.
On April 21, 2021, the Chennai City Police launched ” Kaaval Karangal” in collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation, other government departments including the Department of Social Welfare and some NGOs.
After receiving phone calls from neighbors about the presence of people roaming the streets, police rescued the abandoned and homeless. Police have conducted a comprehensive study of beggars in the city, on the pavements, on shop verandas and sleeping in public places. They were taken to shelter homes and if anyone insisted that he / she leave, the police allowed them to do so.
770 bodies found on the street were cremated by chennai police at a public cemetery. Police said a proper investigation and post-mortem was conducted before cremation of such bodies and photographs of the body were kept at various police stations as station records.
Our Citizen Reporter,
Venkata T Reddy
