Greater Chennai Police's Kaaval Karangal reunites injured 75-yr-old with family

CHENNAI: A 75-year-old man who fell unconscious after being hit by a two-wheeler near Vijayanagar bus terminus in Velachery was rescued by the city police's "Kaaval Karangal" team, which admitted him to a hospital and reunited him with his family members after coordinating with their counterparts in police stations about missing complaints.

The elderly man was rescued by the police on January 15 and admitted at the Government Royapettah Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, a woman called the Kaaval Karangal helpline 9444717100 and sought help to find her missing father.

The old man suffered injuries only on his leg but could not communicate details about him or his family with the authorities as he was shocked by the incident.

The woman reported that they filed a missing complaint with the Medavakkam Police as well. After receiving photographs of the missing man, the Kaaval Karangal team cross-referenced them with their database and found that the rescued man was the missing person from Velachery.

He was identified as Shanmugam. He had left home saying he was going to the hospital, and on his way to meet his grandson in Taramani, he got knocked down by a two-wheeler. He was reunited with his family on Friday. Guindy Traffic Investigation Wing is investigating the accident, police said.

The Greater Chennai Police launched Kaaval Karangal in April 2021 and has benefited thousands since. The team has rescued abandoned elderly people and reunited them with their families or sent them to government shelters. Many were admitted to the Institute of Mental Health as well. With the help of NGOs, the team has given decent burials to over 1,500 unclaimed bodies.