Qkopy, the app which battled disinformation and fake news during the deadly Nipah outbreak and the August floods, has collaborated with the City Police, thereby helping the public connect with the police on an additional platform. The app had broadcasted information shared by the police about the safe and danger zones which were even colour coded, during the floods. A saviour to those stranded, the app was timely too - in an era wherein fake news can lead to disastrous consequences.
The collaboration comes in close heels after the 'Connect to Commissioner' helpline-9497915555, launched by city police commissioner S Surendran, as part of Operation King Cobra in which the public could directly file their complaints over the phone. The immensely successful initiative which is acted upon instantly, helped nab criminals associated with narcotic cases, violations of the Motor Vehicles Act and those indulging in gooda activities.
However, Qkopy goes beyond 'Connect to Commissioner'. The app, which has shown its true potential in the aftermath of the Kallada incident wherein passengers were assaulted by the staff of Suresh Kallada Travels, was a platform wherein passengers shared their bitter experiences of travelling in private buses.
"In such instances, the public can disseminate information replete with pictures and videos. Immediate action will be taken. The complaint registered and the identity of the informant is private.
It can only be viewed by the police here and will be taken care of by the concerned authority. Also, the system works two-way. The police can provide details such as traffic snarls in the city," said Surendran, the city police commissioner. He added that the app can be of utmost use to women and children whilst travelling alone.
Qkopy was founded by Arun Perooli and Rajiv Surendran under the Kerala Startup Mission. The app can be downloaded from Google Playstore and used after saving the 'Connect to Commissioner' number.