Mumbai police considering hiring disabled in force

Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar felicitating constable Rajesh Satpute from RAK Marg police station and his son Gaurav for helping communicate with deaf-mute suspects in a murder case. Pic/Aditi Haralkar

Police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar said the Mumbai police will look for ways to hire people with special needs. Phansalkar made this statement while attending the 41st anniversary of the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (AYJNISHD) at Bandra West on Friday.

While addressing the gathering, Phansalkar emphasised the need for including individuals with disabilities in the police force. He mentioned that he is planning to initiate a process for hiring people with disabilities for this purpose. Phansalkar also spoke about the unfortunate Pydhonie murder case, where a deaf and mute person was killed by his deaf and mute friends. After arresting the suspects, the police faced challenges in understanding their communication. "The police teams were searching for sign language teachers late at night and visiting schools, but a constable from the RAK police station (Sewri) was able to assist the Pydhonie officers because his son is deaf and mute and understands sign language," Phansalkar said.

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Phansalkar called Rajesh Satpute, a constable from the RAK police station, and his 23-year-old son Gaurav Satpute, who has special needs, to honour both of them on the stage. "It is high time we start including people with disabilities to help them develop confidence and recognize that they are just like us, and in many ways, even more special. We will certainly develop a plan to hire these special individuals in our force by identifying the unique abilities they possess," Phansalkar added.

The event was celebrated with students who have disabilities related to speech and hearing as well as language. The institution annually celebrates its success in providing education to these students, from diploma programs to PhDs and other specialized courses. "In the last financial year, we served 50,000 individuals with speech, language, and hearing disabilities," said Dr Suman Kumar, director of AYJNISHD.

"We are grateful to the commissioner for visiting and assuring us that he plans to hire individuals with speech, language, and hearing disabilities. We will identify suitable candidates and discuss further with the police force. This initiative will be a significant motivator for them," Kumar added.