'Himmat', safety app launched; 357 users in 4 hrs

Home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday launched 'Himmat', a free android-based application of Delhi Police that will enable women to send a distress call.

Within an hour of its launch, 420 users had downloaded the application. The application will send SOS messages to the police control room, family members and update the person's location on her social networking account.

Police said that the number was increasing by the hour. According to police records, the application was downloaded by users outside the country too. The total number of registered users within four hours of its launch was 357.

Started at 4 pm, the police control room received 32 trial SOS messages through it. The police were attending to all trial SOS calls by users to ensure that the application worked efficiently.

The application requires the new user to register with the Delhi Police along with their personal details, including name, address, mobile number and contact details of kin. Once registered, the users will get their one time password on their mobile number, finalising the registration.

"In case of an emergency, the user can send an alert simply by shaking the phone or by pressing the power button," said Singh.

The app will allow the user to make a 30-second audio and video recording on the phone, which will be relayed to the police control room. The user will get a call back from the PCR. "Generating false SOS alerts will lead to cancellation of the registration after three such incidents. It will be renewed after an email," said police commissioner, BS Bassi.

Mobile-based tracking

Meanwhile, the Centre on Thursday eased norms for the import of mobile-based tracking system for vehicles.