Himachal Pradesh Police have just got a new weapon to counter social evils - it's caller tunes! Every caller on the mobile phone of a police personnel will hear an awareness message against drug addiction, illicit cultivation of narcotics and drunken driving.
Initially the messages would be heard on the official mobile phones of all Indian Police Service and other senior officers in the state, Director General of Police D.S. Manhas told the media on Tuesday.
Within one month, the messages would replace the normal caller tune of all 16,000 police personnel, he added.
Three themes have been selected but more would be added soon, Deputy Inspector General N. Venugopal said.
"Rise in drug addiction, illicit cultivation of narcotics and road accidents are the most disturbing incidents in the state. Later, more social themes like crime against women and female foeticide would be added," he said.
"Gradually we will identify crime-related problems in each district and upload the messages accordingly. Like there is a serious problem of drug cultivation in Kullu district. So all cops in that area would have caller tunes against drug cultivation. So is the case in Shimla, where traffic management is a huge problem," Venugopal added.
A caller tune against road accidents says about 4,000 accidents occur in the state every year, claiming 1,000 lives. It talks about obeying traffic rules, avoiding use of mobile phones while driving and abstaining from drunken driving.