A new mobile app, launched by East Bardhhaman police to help lodge complaints online – GetBengal story

An app that could change the way we perceive police services, the Bharosa App is an initiative by the East Bardhaman police that allows you to register and lodge complaints online without the fuss of visiting the police station.

This mobile app was launched on Monday, 9 September 2024, and promises to boost the public's confidence in the police. In many instances, we find that civilians do not know where to go or what to do when a crime is committed. At times, locals are afraid to venture into a police station for fear of the unfamiliar procedures and laws. Others do not think of lodging a complaint when they are scammed or a fraud takes place. There are also instances where a police station may refuse to file a particular complaint because of political reasons or external interventions.

That's why an app like Bharosa App that allows people to connect directly with the head of police is a privilege. 

How the app works is that the police super will look into the lodged complaint and take action within 7 days. The app is currently being used in East Bardhhaman and might be replicated soon in other districts.

The app isn't just made to file complaints; it also allows the complainant to track the police response. This will allow the complainant to understand the status of his case. Whether a general diary or FIR has been lodged and how the case is progressing. Civilians will be able to keep track of the proceedings themselves. If an FIR needs to be lodged, the complainant will be called, and a physical FIR will be lodged at the police station. There are instances where a person doesn’t know under which police station a complaint needs to be filed, i.e., the jurisdiction of the crime. They will be helped to locate and identify that too. In case the complainant is unable to be physically present, the police will start a suo moto case.

As per police sources, many people regularly visit the office of the District Superintendent of Police from East Bardhaman towns like Ketugram, Aushgram, Kalna, Galsi, etc. to complain at the ‘Public Grievance Cell.’ They have to travel hundreds of kilometres to reach the police super's office. 

There was a need to simplify the procedure and assist people who travel such long distances every day. In a lot of instances, people have to come down to the police station multiple times for updates or to follow up. But with the aid of the Bharosa App, all these issues can be easily solved online.

The app can be downloaded on any Android phone from the Google Play Store. It has both English and Bengali versions, and the complaints can be lodged in both languages.

The complainant has to register himself on the site using his or her mobile number. As per the Bharosa App, every case will be taken up within 7 days of receiving the complaint. Further, civilians can keep tabs on the latest status report of their case, the actions taken or required by them, etc. on the app itself.

An initiative as advanced as this will definitely change the trajectory of legislative and police proceedings. By establishing an online portal open to the public, we might see a transformation in people's attitude towards the organisation as a whole.