Comics can help raise awareness on law and order: Delhi Police

While Uttar Pradesh police employed Harry Potter and Chacha Chaudhary to raise awareness about road safety last month, Mumbai police has used memes to the same effect.

Not far behind is the Delhi Police, which is now looking to educate citizens against crimes through comic strips and cartoon clips.

According to Delhi Police spokesperson Dependra Pathak, the medium of comics will help the law and order authorities strike a chord with the younger generation.

At the 7th edition of FICCI's PubliCon 2017, Pathak called for publishers to help them advocate the message of safety of women, senior citizens, children, and a better society at large.

"Initially the idea was about posting small cartoons, or comic books of 4-5 panels on road safety using social media, so that it attracts the mind of a child as well as everyone else.

"Earlier I talked to Diamond comic books regarding this and today there are many publishers here. We can work upon the idea in the form of audio visual aids, or maybe some comics, and cartoons," he said.

He also suggested that the idea could be turned into a government initiative in later stages.

"I request the publishers to form a small group under the aegis of FICCI to work upon it as a CSR activity, later on it can be turned into a government-supported initiative," he said in his keynote address titled "Partnership Opportunities for Publishers with Delhi Police".

Echoing Pathak's thoughts, Baldeo Bhai Sharma, Chairman-National Book Trust, added that lessons learnt through comic books will have greater impact on young minds.

"With initiatives like these people can find friends in police. And when the message is sent out through comic books, the younger generation, who are our future, can be more aware of all that is bothering us today," Sharma said.

Pathak also asked publishers to work on more relatable ways of inculcating the "generic knowledge" into the youth.

"With a better understanding of science, history and culture, the youth will be able to know that whatever they see today is a product of a long, long process.

"Publishers should also come out with books that can teach the youth about history of science, civilisation, philosophy, art and culture," Pathak said.