With an aim to empower citizens to report illegal activities without fear of identity disclosure, Varanasi Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Vaibhav Krishna (IPS:2010:UP), has developed a unique digital reporting system called the Police Satark Mitra. It is a WhatsApp-based system for citizens to report criminal activities in all three districts of the Varanasi Range—Jaunpur, Ghazipur, and Chandauli.
It is virtually a digital interface that allows citizens to remain anonymous while sharing information about organized crime and social offences, including cow smuggling and slaughter, liquor and drug trafficking, illegal arms trade, gambling, prostitution, human and child trafficking, illegal spas, forced religious conversions, illegal mining, overloading of vehicles, extortion, and even police corruption.
The main objective behind this initiative is to remove the element of fear of identity disclosure that often prevents citizens from sharing crucial information. Neither the mobile number nor any personal details of the informant will be visible to police officers at any stage.
It is simple to operate. All a citizen needs to do is to send a WhatsApp message—even a single word such as “Hi”—to 7839860411 or scan the QR code, after which the bot automatically guides the user through language selection and category-based prompts to collect detailed inputs.
The system accepts text, audio messages, photographs, and videos, making it particularly useful for sharing CCTV footage or visuals related to serious crimes such as murder, robbery, or chain snatching. All information received through the bot is routed directly to the offices of the respective district Superintendents of Police (SP) and the DIG, Varanasi Range.
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