Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010759930400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

SMS facility to reach police operational

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: The mobile phone number 90101 00100 to reach Hyderabad police through SMS has become operational from Tuesday but police appealed to people not to send false alerts to the number.

Now citizens can send complaints requiring immediate attention about traffic, crime, terror or harassment through SMS to this number. To send messages on traffic-related matters, type T, give space and type the text. Similarly, type C for crime-related subjects, W for women harassment connected cases and TE on terrorism issues.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner B. Prasada Rao appealed to people not to send misleading information and warned that such persons can be tracked and prosecuted. He also said thanksgiving messages, New Year greetings, inspirational quotes or jokes should not be sent to the number.

Messages sent without the prefixes, T, C or W would be placed under general category. All the information sent to this number through SMS would be stored and can be retrieved. The messages would be forwarded to the officers concerned through a facility called ‘ACT NOW’.

This SMS facility doesn’t respond to messages sent through free websites like WAY2SMS.com.