Raudram, app for women's safety, launched

Chennai: An app for women’s safety, ‘Raudram’ was launched in the city on Tuesday. The app is especially necessary now, with women coming out and speaking against sexual harassment in the #MeToo movement, experts say.

The primary features of the app, named 'Raudram' are instant alerts to emergency contacts, a panic button which would be activated with just a click and a dedicated control room to track such events, founder Sudha Reddy said.

The app, which was launched by actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, may also be integrated into the Whistle app of the Makkal Needhi Maiam. “This discussion happened on stage and the further steps of this integration will happen in the next few days,” says Sudha.

The app, which is available for download for Andriod mobiles is integrated into a private call centre, named CGS private limited. This company, registered to receive stress calls and panic alerts is already functional, says Sudha.

The app will also automatically take 10-second video and audio messages, along with pictures as soon as the panic button is pressed. It will also immediately send it to the call centre, assures Sudha.

“What this will do is, allow three things to happen. The emergency contacts will be informed, our call centre will have evidence and we will immediately inform the police,” she said.

The company will also provide free legal services and assistance to file complaints, she said. The app, which was launched with the help of Ramesh Kumar, will be free to use, she adds.