Empathy Transcends Professional Boundaries : Compassionate Police Officers in Kerala Help Starving Family!

Palakkad, Kerala: The police force is often associated with acts of atrocity, misconduct, and unsympathetic behavior towards the people they are supposed to protect. However, the cops at the Ottapalam Police Station in the Palakkad district of Kerala state have defied this stereotype by exhibiting exceptional kindness and generosity. They came to the aid of a woman and her two children who were starving for two days.

Not only did the police officers provide food for the hungry children, but they also raised money to ensure that the family could survive for a month. Once the news of this incident spread on social media, people from all walks of life came forward to contribute and help the poor family. Recently, a man from Qatar contacted the police station and offered to provide a small home and a cultivable land so that the family could sustain themselves.

The woman's plight melt cops

The incident occurred on February 19th, a Sunday noon when Akhila, her husband with her two young children, walked into the Ottapalam Police Station. She asked at the PRO desk if she could meet the Sub Inspector (SI) or the Circle Inspector (CI), but was informed that both officers were not available at the moment. Binu Ramachandran, the Civil Police Officer and the station PRO asked her if he could help her anyway, and then Akhila hesitantly revealed that it was a personal issue and that her family had not eaten for two days.

"Hearing the woman's words and seeing the two young kids, I felt my heart melting. I asked the children what they had eaten in the morning, and they told me they had only had a medu vada. Immediately, I took them to the adjoining police mess, ordered and served food for them myself, and watched them eat to their heart's content," Binu Ramachandran told The Mooknayak.

After this heartwarming gesture, the officer came out of the mess and informed some lady police officers about the woman's plight. They promptly gave some money.Moved by the family's plight, Ramendran rallied his colleagues, and together, they pooled their resources to provide further assistance to Akhila and her children. The next day, the police men also arranged a media brief and their actions caught the attention of social media, and soon, help poured in from various places, bringing much-needed relief to the struggling family. People from far and wide are largely appreciating Ottapalam cops kindness specially the Civil Police Officer Binu's efforts and sensitivity towards the family in dire need.

Visited school to inquire about education

Speaking in detail about the episode, Binu told The Mooknayak that the next day, he visited the children's school to inquire about their well-being. " One of the teacher told me that the family was under great financial stress, they didint have money and hence hadn't collected the school uniforms which was given for stitching" Binu said. The officer also shared details about Akhila's family and reason behind their financial stress. Akhila's husband Krishna Kumar (42) is suffering hearing loss. Due to the hearing impairment employers do not keep him for long. He is working as a cleaner in a cinema theatre presently and earns a very low salary. Akhila works with a wholesale medical supplier and gets a meagre salary of 7 thousand rupees a month . The couple has to pay house rent of 5 thousand rupees per month. It us also known that they had shifted 13 homes in the past few years which denotes the intensity of their struggle to survive. It has been only 3 months they shifted to their present home.

" Everyone have their self respect and it takes much courage to tell anyone that they are starving . We read newspapers everyday about people committing suicides or crimes but Akhila had the courage to approach us. She didn't make her children beg or steal and hence as a police officer, I did whatever I could in a small way to help them" says the humble officer. As the story spread through social media, help poured in from various places. It was a heartwarming experience to see the community come together to support this family in need, Binu said. Many people have been calling Binu and offering financial assistance to the family. Binu, however, has been steadfast in his commitment to ensuring that the help reaches the family directly. He has refused to accept any assistance directly, instead asking people to contribute to the family.

Advocate files complaint at Child Rights Commission

Meanwhile, with a video going viral on the social media showing Akhila and the kids at the Police Station , an advocate named Sreejith Perumana has lodged a complaint with the Chief of Police, the Child Rights Commission, and the Director of Women and Child Welfare. The complainant said that exposing the kids in the video falls under misconduct and violates Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act and the directives of the Department of Women and Child Welfare.

Best Police Station of India: Ottapalam PS

The Ottapalam police station received the award for best police station of the country in 2022 , from the Union Home Ministry for its exceptional performance in dealing with cases of violence against women and children, efficient investigation processes, prompt resolution of grievances, respectful treatment of complainants, and effective law and order and crime prevention measures.

Ottapalam Police Station's outstanding record of completing investigations expeditiously and filing chargesheets in most of the 828 cases registered in 2021 has contributed significantly to this achievement. Additionally, the police station's ability to arrest and prosecute criminals within 90 days, including high-profile murder and pox cases, has been commendable.

The Police Station has also earned praise for its excellent facilities, including a clean and well-maintained infrastructure and comprehensive station records. The police station has established a reputation for being a women-friendly and child-friendly organization, which is another reason why it is a deserving recipient of this prestigious award.