Just days ago, the Central Reserve Police Force has soldiered on with the kind of grace and courage that one always hopes to associate with India's armed forces with CRPF Madadgaar. Despite having suffered a devastating suicide bomber attack in Kashmir, which killed and injured scores of their personnel. From immediately swinging into search and rescue operations, which includes the painful task of identifying remains of their martyred comrades, to securing the blast area and expediting investigations by various security agencies, to doing their best to maintain calm in a highly tense situation, CRPF forces haven't allowed the terrorist attack to cause a break in their stride.

Indeed, one particular unit of the CRPF has been playing no small part in helping people in the troubled state since the last year and a half. On June 16, 2017, the CRPF, which is deployed for security duties in Jammu and Kashmir, had launched the 24/7 helpline Madadgaar to aid any Valley resident who is in distress, or requires any kind of assistance.

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Having fielded 3.45 lakh phone calls since it began, Madgaar’s purview includes providing citizens with information on conditions like weather, traffic, troop and movement restrictions, as well as relief work and even career counselling and employment opportunities; perhaps more vitally, it acts as a conduct between the valley and those of its people residing in other states. 

According to the in-charge of Madadgaar, the 24-hour helpline typically receives 400-500 calls a day requesting general information while around 10-20 calls require direct intervention of Madadgaar, wherein it intercedes with other government agencies on behalf of ordinary citizens. This latter category has obviously seen a rise since the terrorist attack in Pulwama and the subsequent curfew imposed on Jammu and the valley.

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Due to the movement restrictions, the majority of these calls are from people requiring assistance in either travelling within the valley or returning to it from other states. Madadgaar has also been getting calls from Kashmiris living and working in other states, and who are apprehensive about their safety following rising communal tensions across various parts of the country after the attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama. In most cases, Madadgaar gets in touch with the local police stations of where the concerned callers are currently living and ensures their security that any annoying action will be met with swift response. They also soothe the apprehensions of worried callers, and aid those who are determined to return to the valley with going back home.