Mayiladuthurai police resume wellness checks on elderly citizens

MAYILADUTHURAI: Senior citizens across the district have welcomed the Mayiladuthurai police resuming their initiative to conduct voluntary wellness checks at their residences. In the wake of burglary reports across the state where miscreants target houses of elders staying alone, the district police began conducting wellness checks wherein a team led by inspectors, sub-inspectors and constables visited their houses and assessed safety.

“Our objective is to ensure the security of the elderly, especially those whose children are working away. We directed our officers to do the checks regularly at houses in their station limits,” Mayiladuthurai SP K Meena told TNIE.

Pointing out that the initiative is already in place across the state, the SP stated that it was resumed in Mayiladuthurai after a gap. “Through wellness checks, we will also reach out to reclusive and introverted elders who do not often connect with the outside world. We are also inquiring about their requirements and assure legal support,” the SP added.

There are eight police stations in the Mayiladuthurai sub-division and eight in Sirkazhi sub-division. The SP directed the officers to maintain proper registers for the elderly at each station. The police are also issuing handbooks to houses of elderly people and sign them during the wellness checks. Inspector S Supriya from Mayiladuthurai station said, “We are also sensitising the elders to necessary precautions and to alert us if they are facing troubles.”

The police also advised them to instal CCTV cameras at their houses for additional security and noted down their contact details. The initiative has elicited positive response from residents. Backing this, Selvakumari (72) who stays with her husband Gandhi in Thirumanjana Veethi said, “Both my children are away working. We felt comfort and consolation after the police visited us and spoke to us for several minutes inquiring about our welfare.”