Now Help Is Just a Click Away

Bangalore-based Milan Infotech Pvt Ltd will soon launch the Click4Help app which traces the exact location of a person in danger
Now Help Is Just a Click Away

BANGALORE : At a time when crimes against women are increasing every day, a rapid and consolidated response by the police and by citizens themselves to a crisis is necessary.

In most cases, by the time the concerned authorities reach the affected person, the crime has already taken place. However, imagine a system that traces the exact location of the person in danger and relays emergency messages to the nearest police station, as well as the person's relatives.

Bangalore-based Milan Infotech Private Limited has created a system just like that. This is an android application called Click4Help, wherein, at the click of a button, an emergency message goes to the concerned person's relatives. A subsequent click will send a message to the nearest police station, based on the person's geographical location.

According to the developers, the application will have a huge impact on the reduction of crime across the city and the state. The free application has been developed along with inputs from the police and the home ministry.

M C Basavaraju, CEO of the company behind the app claims that the application is unique and says, "Click4Help has a feature that enables the phone to record the voice. Hence, if there is an emergency situation, the affected person can enable the app, and the voice recording facility will also act as evidence as the recording will be stored in a server. Also, in case of a serious situations wherein the person does not have the time to unlock her phone, she can press the power button thrice, which will automatically enable the application."

The application will send out a message even if the concerned person's phone has no balance.

V V Bhadran, also from the company, says that the beta-version of the application has already been uploaded on Google Playstore. "We are currently testing the app, and will be released in the next month. We will be launching the pilot version in South Bangalore. In another month, the application will be available all over the state. We will soon launch it on iOS (for Apple phones) and Windows phones too," he informs.

As per the suggestion of the government, the developers of the application are also launching it on low end phones, which have Internet connectivity. "We are currently in talks with various service providers and mobile phone manufacturers so that the application can be in-built and sold. When this happens, even a phone costing around `500-1,000, with an Internet facility, can be used in an emergency," adds Bhadran.

"This will be a useful application considering that atrocities against women are rising. Also, if the voice is also recorded, then it is a value addition. However, the usefulness of the application will depend on just how quickly the police respond to a panic call after being intimated," says Ragini Sanath, an IT professional.

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