Hands full with lockdown duties but Tiruchy cops still helping the needy

Though the district administration and some volunteers have been helping the needy by providing essentials, police have come forward to assist those who cannot avail even this aid.
Monkeys can be seen gathering in the same locations waiting for their benefactors to arrive. (Photo | EPS)
Monkeys can be seen gathering in the same locations waiting for their benefactors to arrive. (Photo | EPS)

TIRUCHY: Despite having their hands full maintaining law and order in the lockdown, many police officers have come forward to help the needy in this difficult time.

Though the district administration and some volunteers have been helping the needy by providing essentials, police have come forward to assist those who cannot avail even this aid.

Apart from the distribution of essentials and food, police have been involved in several humanitarian acts. The recent incident of a police constable donating blood to a pregnant woman who was in desperate need of blood for a C-section delivery is an example of the many unsung heroes in uniform.

Monkey saviours

Ramesh (29) and Kanusamy (35) are home guards deployed in the Puthanatham area to provide security.

Apart from lockdown duties, the duo has started a special initiative of serving food and water to as many as 150 monkeys roaming in Puthanatham and around Manapparai.

Monkeys can be seen gathering in the same locations waiting for their benefactors to arrive.

"There is a large population of monkeys and people used to feed them regularly. But with the lockdown, the monkeys have been going without food. After we saw them roaming around the closed vegetable market scavenging for food, we decided to feed the poor monkeys. We feed about 150 monkeys snacks and bananas and provide them with water at our own expense. At first, we had to look for them, but now they wait for us," said Ramesh.

Helping transgender people

Transgenders who had to work daily to eke out a living have been suffering in the lockdown.

Shanmugavel, a Fort police station inspector, came up with the initiative of providing them with essentials, including bags of rice.

He, along with social service organisations, have initiated the scheme of identifying transgenders who are in need and providing them with help.

A Fort police station officer said, "We are also providing packages of essentials to people who live on the streets."

Saving mentally challenged

Under the order of Tiruchy Superintendent of Police Ziaul Haque, officers have been providing aid to the destitute in their jurisdictions. Jeeyapuram police station officers went a step ahead when they recently encountered a mentally challenged person wandering on the roads.

Instead of providing just food and essentials, he was brought to the police station.  With the help of a local barber, he was given a haircut and new clothes to wear. 

After teaching him of the need to wear a mask and washing hands, police admitted him to the all-weather shelter home in the district.

When contacted, officers at the station said such mentally challenged people seen on the roads are not aware of the safety measures needed in the current situation.

Thus, officials here have started the initiative of rescuing them and admitting them to shelter homes in the district.

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