Bengaluru cop’s pep talk and music provide ray of hope

BENGALURU: When the nation went into a lockdown, residents panicked wondering if their local grocery shops would still be open. Many went on a stockpiling spree, crowding supermarkets and medical shops. However, one policewoman helped restore calm among residents of Pulikeshinagar, east Bengaluru.
Armed with a public address system, ACP Tabarak Fathima, 32, has been going around giving pep talks to residents, playing songs about staying in and sanitising one’s hands and spreading a message of hope.
The officer has so far visited Richards Town, Netaji Road, Diamond District in Domlur and Polluramma slum in Doddigunta, Cox Town. She hopes to cover every locality in her sub-division.
Videos of Fathima have gone viral on social media with hundreds of people appreciating the move. In one video, Fathima can be seen giving a new twist to the song ‘Hum Honge Kamyaab’ (We shall overcome) and singing “We shall stay at home, we shall sanitise.” It was viewed more than 24,000 times.
“When there is fear, people need hope. ‘Hum Honge Kamyaab’ is a song of hope,” Fathima told TOI. “The moment people hear there’s a lockdown, the first thing that comes to their mind is ‘where will my food come from’. I realised it is important to assure people their access to essential commodities is secure.”
Residents have also posted videos of the ACP addressing them. “What an excellent speech, reassuring us that all essential services will not be affected, yet calmly asking us to stay indoors and not panic. Am talking about this police officer who came to Davis Road this afternoon. This was outside my apartment today,” tweeted @sai_ ganesh, a resident of Davis Road, along with a video. The post was shared over 1.9k times.
Awareness is key
Fathima, who joined the city police in December 2019, leaves home as early as 6am, and is on the field till late at night. “The police department has been at it 24*7. If there is a situation that demands our presence, we get on the job right away,” she said. Speaking about how cops are keeping themselves calm in this scenario, the ACP pointed out that awareness is key. “We have educated police officers at all levels on the dangers of the virus, how it spreads and the precautionary measures to be taken. We maintain distance between staff and between staff and public. Out stations are sanitised every day,” she said.