Ikraam Ahmed Faridi of Srinagar had his fourth child, a daughter, on September 9 last year. She’s special in more ways than one. “She is a beautiful child. But I fear for her eyes – that is my biggest worry. May she be healthy,” Faridi said. He and his wife already have three sons — all specially-abled — and his daughter is his only hope.

“My eldest son is blind, intellectually disabled, and has Mitral Regurgitation, a heart valve disorder. Zeeshan, my second, suffers from a heart condition. My third son born in 2012 also has the same issues as my eldest,” he said.

With his children enduring pain, Faridi said he has been suffering too. 

In the middle of despair, the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) Madadgaar helpline has come as a ray of hope. Madadgaar means a friend, someone who helps or provides aid. The helpline has so far received more than 573,000 calls for assistance and provided relief to 98 per cent of them. 

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The Madadgaar helpline was designed to assist the local public with medical emergencies and ambulances, help victims of domestic violence, assist the needy, help coordinate blood donations, and play an active role in public safety and security. 

It was formally launched in 2017 and operates 24X7 for the local people of Jammu & Kashmir and Kashmiris across the country.

For Faridi, the CRPF helpline proved a true madadgaar. He got in touch with it through Sahuliyat Kashmir, a Kashmir-based non-profit. “I received a lot of support and help. The helpline provided two wheelchairs for my children and asked if I needed any other help with the treatment. I am grateful they understood my situation and came up with a solution for my children,” he said.

Faridi is among the thousands of people who have been touched by the helpline. It has assisted Kashmiris with medical emergencies and essential medicines. For its effort and quick response to requests, it has won awards including the FICCI Award for SMART Policing and 2019 J&K Role Model Award.

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Meanwhile, doctors have said the children’s eyesight cannot be restored, but with proper treatment and vocational training, there was scope for the boys to have a better quality of life. And Faridi holds on tight to this hope, a feeling he’s experienced after a long time.

Listen to the inspirational stories of the valour of CPRF come alive on The Slow App, in the voices of Neelesh Misra and artistes trained by him. The CRPF stories are brought to you as a part of an MoU between the Slow Content Pvt. Ltd, which has developed The Slow App, and the CRPF. For more information visit the CRPF Madadgaar website https://crpf.gov.in/madadgaar.htm or call 14411.