Dehradun Becomes First District To Launch Special Help Desk For E-FIRs; 70 Cases Registered In Two Months

Dehradun district’s Special Help Desk, launched at the Collectorate, is emerging as a major relief for elderly citizens, women, and the underprivileged who earlier struggled to get their complaints registered at police stations.

Taking note of repeated grievances during Janata Darbars about police inaction, District Magistrate Savin Bansal established the help desk in August. In just two months, 70 online FIRs (e-FIRs) have been registered at various police stations through this initiative.

ALSO READ: 'Everything Will Be Announced Soon': Congress On Seat-Sharing In Mahagathbandhan Ahead Of Bihar Election

Officials said Dehradun is the first district in Uttarakhand to set up a Special Help Desk under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), aimed at simplifying the process of recording criminal information. The section ensures easy filing of e-FIRs, protection for vulnerable victims, videography, and free copies of the FIR to complainants.

The initiative has not only provided access to justice but also ended the monopoly of local police stations, which often turned people away.

So far, the help desk has received 77 complaints, of which 70 have led to FIRs. The first FIR was filed on August 4 at Cantt Kotwali based on a complaint by Lav Kumar Tamang, a resident of Vilaspur.

ALSO READ: Saheli Smart Card Launch: Delhi Govt Likely To Roll Out Pink Card For Free Bus Travel On THIS Date | Details

The Collectorate receives over 50 complaints daily, while Janata Darbar hearings record as many as 125 cases in a day. Most complaints come from senior citizens, with many related to maintenance, education, health, and employment being addressed on a fast-track basis.

District Magistrate Savin Bansal said the initiative reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of timely justice and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s goal of ensuring justice for all. The desk, he added, is “a symbol of accountable governance and people’s trust in administration.”