Madurai District Superintendent of Police N. Devanathan addressing a meeting of village vigilance committee.
Madurai district police is making efforts to revive the age-old village vigilance committees to strike a cordial chord with the rural masses and get tipped-off about lurking dangers in villages.“This is an old practice of the police which we are now trying to revive,” said Madurai Superintendent of Police, N. Devanathan.Inspectors of Police in all the 40 police stations are visiting at least one village every day and meeting a cross section of people and discuss various issues plaguing the society, especially the youngsters.The police team are meeting women also. “We want the police officers to break the ice with the local populace and create acquaintance with the village elders and youngsters alike. The officers would meet the people from all strata of socio-economic conditions to get to the bottom of stealth anti-social activities that ruin the social order of the community,” Mr. Devanathan.The officers mobilise the available villagers in a meeting hall or under the shade of trees. During the free-wheeling session, the police officials introduce themselves with the people and also get to know about those present.The police also hear the common and specific grievances of the people that pose danger to the law and order situation and social harmony. The officers also share their contact details so that the vigilant citizens could tip-off them about various activities that the police need to know to nip in the bud all issues that could escalate into an awkward trouble.“These alert messages from the common man will make the job of the police in taking pre-emptive measures,” the SP said.The police officers discuss about the evil effects of addiction to social media. They tell the youngsters that mad hunger for ‘reels’, ‘likes’ and making viral their social media messages or video clippings were not worth their real life situations.Similarly, the youths are told to give up caste-based anger that infuses a mental block in taking revenge against people belonging to other caste groups over age-old rivalries.“The villages should be identified with successful people, academicians, entrepreneurs and sports stars and not with the social disorder or caste identities,” the SP said.The officials also touch upon the menace of drugs which makes youths addicted just because of their curiosity to use it for first time. All these efforts are to bring about a positive attitude among the rural people who are misguided by anti-social elements, he added. Published - August 28, 2026 09:25 pm IST
