India News | UP Police to Start Awareness Drive for Foreigners Coming from Nepal Border

Noida, May 18 (PTI) The 112 service of the Uttar Pradesh Police in collaboration with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will hold a seven-day awareness campaign for foreigners arriving in India through Nepal on dealing with emergency situations, officials said on Wednesday.

The campaign will begin Thursday and be held in the three districts of Gorakhpur, Maharajganj and Kushinagar with a special focus on rural areas, the UP police officials said.

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“Not only Nepalese people but foreigners from other countries also who come to India through Nepal often face difficulties of various types when they arrive in India but are clueless about what to do during emergencies,” Additional Superintendent of Police (112) Mohini Pathak told PTI.

“We want to tell the people that they can call 112 in case of any emergency or distress. You don't have to remember various numbers for different sorts of emergencies. The 112 is a one stop solution for any emergency, be it for police help, fire, ambulance or any other,” the officer said.

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She said the UP police have come to note that on several occasions when tourists arrive in India from Nepal via land route they face trouble at bus depots or at taxi stands and often get charged more fare illegally or get their pocket picked, get into medical need but remain clueless about who to contact for help.

“Even in such situations, people can call up 112 and help will be provided to them. The 112 is an internationally used distressed number with countries in Europe and America also using it,” Pathak said.

Besides educating the foreigners, the police's campaign will also focus on raising awareness among the locals of Gorakhpur, Maharajganj and Kushinagar about using 112 for emergency, she said.

On collaboration with the SSB, the officer said the paramilitary force is the first Indian port of contact for foreigners arriving from Nepal.

“The first Indian a foreigner meets when they land up in our territory is an SSB personnel. We will also be going to the SSB post in Sunauli during the campaign to raise awareness about 112,” Pathak said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)