CHENNAI: Since the state police launched their new website in the end of February, the contact details of police stations across the state are unavailable. While a single page listing helpline numbers is available, the break up of police stations, senior officers and other wings remains missing. Police sources said the numbers will be updated within a few days after the website launch. While this is yet to happen, the public are struggling to reach the concerned police officers in times of need.
The website integrates Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) 2.0, a web-based platform that strengthens digital policing in Tamil Nadu by enabling efficient crime registration, investigation, supervision and data-driven monitoring.
Implemented across all stations with state funding, it links with the Interoperable Criminal Justice System for real time data sharing with courts, forensic laboratories, prisons and prosecution, and includes applications such as eSakshya, eSummon and Medical Legal Examination and Postmortem Report (MedLEaPR).
M Pratap (33), a techie from Ashok Nagar, said, “I have a long-running property case in my native town. The people who are creating the problems are not following the court order. A few days ago, I tried to locate the respective officer in the jurisdiction of the property for help but the website does not have a section for contact numbers. The old website used to have it. Now, I’m planning to go to the place on my own and locate the police station.”
He added that while the new website has only a list of basic helpline numbers, the delay points to a lack of transparency from the police department.
When TNIE checked, the link to the old website appears during searches but it does not always open. Even when it does, the numbers on the website are not updated regularly.
Devaneyan, a human rights activist, said, “The main aim of modernisation is making things simple. But if it makes things complicated then there is no use. More than a week after launching the new website, if the police still have not put out the contact numbers, it clearly shows negligence on their part.”
He added that without a list of contact numbers for the respective stations, officers and other wings, it will be difficult for the public to reach them through 100, 103 or other such numbers. To locate a particular officer or a police station through 100, is considerably more time consuming.
Speaking to TNIE, an officer from the SCRB, which handles the website, said, “The contact numbers section is temporarily down for update. It will be completed in two days.”