Protection to life and properties of senior citizens

The gruesome murder of an elderly couple -- a retired engineer and his wife (a retired teacher) -- at their house in the Beltola area of Guwahati, has painted a gloomy picture of safety and security of senior citizens in the State capital. With the population of elderly people in the State rising, a comprehensive plan of action for the protection of life and properties of older persons has become an urgent necessity. It is hoped that the City Police will crack the murder case without any delay and ensure exemplary punishment to those behind this horrific crime by filing a strong charge sheet. The couple has been living alone while their two daughters stay outside Assam. The number of senior citizens living only with the spouse or living alone has been on the rise and they have been becoming soft targets of criminals. In a similar crime incident last year, a retired engineer was murdered in the Dispur area (near the capital complex) when he was alone at his house; and his wife, a physician was away on her duty. These two incidents set off the alarm bells for the Assam police to take preventive measures for the safety of senior citizens across the State. The 'Elderly in India-2021' -- an annual publication of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation -- states that the country states that the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections for India and States 2011-2036, there is an increase of nearly 34 million elderly persons (aged 60 years and above) as estimated in 2021 over the population Census of 2011. The report further states that the projected population of elderly persons is further expected to rise by around 56 million in 2031 which also indicates about the huge challenge that lie before the country to protect the life and property of elderly population in the current decade.

The elderly population grew by 36% each in past two decades of 2001-2011 and 2011 to 2021 when the general population grew by 18% in 2001-2011 and projected to have grown by 12.4% in 2011-2021. Assam, according to the report, had a population of 15.60 lakh elderly persons accounting for 5.9 % of the total population in 2001. The population increased to 20.79 lakh accounting for 6.7% of the total population during the 2011 Census and projected to have increased to 28.88 lakh accounting for 8.2% of the total population in the current year and further expected to rise to 44.39 lakh (11.6 % of total population) in 2031. This report can be a ready reckoner for the state government and the Assam Police to draw up the action plan for protection of elderly population in the state. The Assam Police released a set of helpline numbers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic last year in a bid to reach out to all senior citizens who are staying alone, unattended, in distress and in need of emergency assistance. An advisory on protection of senior citizens issued by the Ministry of Home Affairsto all States and Union Territories have listed a set of additional measures to address safety and security related concerns of elderly population. These include protecting senior citizens from violence, abuse, neglect and isolation through community level interventions, identification of pockets inhabited by senior citizens, collection of basic demographic data on older persons and their families, personal visit to homes of senior citizens, monitoring and review of cases concerning senior citizens and prompt attendance of complaints of harassment or deception and other crimes against senior citizens. An earlier MHA advisory issued in 2013 emphasised that each police station having a security scheme for the protection of the elderly in the context of local requirements and updated regularly which provide for patrolling, both during day and night. The State and UT Police authorities were also advised to co-opt security and placement agencies and encourage them to provide guards and domestic help having skill for taking care of the elderly. Such house guards and domestic help should be cleared from security angle so that well-to-do senior citizens, who are at greater security risks, can have qualified and reliable personal and security staff, the advisory states and urged the police authorities to organise special drives for verification of the antecedents of domestic help, drivers and also tenants. Assam Police establishing a Senior Citizen Cell in each district police headquarters in accordance with the MHA Advisory and giving wide publicity to contact number of the police officials in charge of suchcells can boost confidence of senior citizens about safety measures in place. During personal visit to residences of senior citizens living alone, police personnel assessing the physical security of the house and ensuring corrective measures, if required, can increase protection level.Improving police-public relations for community policing is also vital for protection of life and properties of senior citizens.