Himachal seeks to make vulgar calls an offence

Himachal Pradesh is considering making vulgar telephone calls a cognisable offence, says chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.

"The government is contemplating whether vulgar telephone calls can be made a cognisable offence through an appropriate law," Dhumal said after a meeting to review the law and order situation in the state.

Dhumal said the police have been receiving complaints from different parts of the state regarding offensive calls laced with vulgarity, especially to women.

To protect the privacy of individuals, the government is considering legal provisions to deal with such cases and punish the guilty both with imprisonment and fine, the chief minister added.

Dhumal appealed to the people, including tourists, to send an SMS at toll-free, round-the-clock number 9459100100 in case of any law and order related problem.

He said that correct information about the crime or law and order problem would need to be mentioned, so that effective steps could be taken by the appropriate authorities.