Hyderabad police roll out ‘Margadarshak’ to guide citizens facing legal or personal distress
Speaking at the launch event, Police Commissioner and HCSC Chairman Sajjanar, IPS, congratulated the newly inducted volunteers but issued a clear directive regarding their responsibilities.
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: In a major move to tackle the widespread issue of unreported harassment and abuse, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, IPS, on Thursday launched ‘Margadarshak’, a community-driven initiative aimed at guiding vulnerable women and children towards proper legal and institutional support.
Citizen volunteers as ‘ethical referral guides’
Rolled out in collaboration with the Hyderabad City Security Council (HCSC), the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program creates a network of trained citizen volunteers who will act as ‘ethical referral guides.’
The initiative was conceptualised to address a critical blind spot in urban policing: the massive grey area between minor distress situations and formally registered crimes. Officials noted that victims of workplace harassment, domestic conflicts, stalking and intimidation frequently hesitate to approach the police.
Bridge between victims and law enforcement
Under the new program, trained ‘Margadarshaks’ will step in to eliminate this confusion.
Rather than acting as law enforcement, these volunteers will serve as facilitators, helping victims understand their legal options and directly connecting them with the appropriate support systems, such as SHE Teams, Bharosa Centres, counselling services and emergency helplines.
Speaking at the launch event, Police Commissioner and HCSC Chairman Sajjanar, IPS, congratulated the newly inducted volunteers but issued a clear directive regarding their responsibilities.
Don’t take law into your hands, police chief warns volunteers
He emphasised that while Margadarshaks play a crucial role in providing empathy and timely direction to those in distress, their primary job is to signpost victims to official authorities and legal experts.
He strictly advised the volunteers against attempting to take the law into their own hands.
The operational framework of the initiative was developed under the guidance of Dr Lavanya NJP, DCP of the Women Safety Wing and Convenor of the HCSC Women’s Forum.
Meanwhile, Khyati Naravane, Joint Secretary of the Women’s Forum, spearheaded the mobilisation of community volunteers to build the network.
The launch event was also attended by Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) N Swetha and HCSC Secretary General Shekar Reddy, along with several civic dignitaries.
