As many as 31,188 people have thus far registered for the Kerala Police’s ‘Locked House’ service through the official POL-APP, which enables the police to keep watch over homes left vacant while residents are away on travel.

The service is designed to enhance the security of locked houses by arranging special police surveillance in and around the premises during the owner’s absence. The police have advised residents planning to travel to submit their request through the “Locked House Information” section of the POL-APP at least 48 hours before departure. The applications can be submitted up to seven days in advance.

The applicants are required to provide details including the duration of their travel, a photograph of the house, its location and address, and the name and contact number of a relative or neighbour. Once the request is approved, the police will monitor the house and its surroundings for up to 14 days. Those requiring surveillance beyond 14 days must submit a fresh application.

The Kerala Police stated that the POL-APP has been developed with a user-friendly interface, making it easy for the public to access various police services. The application is available for download through both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The app has already been downloaded by around 17 lakh users and has emerged as one of the country’s most widely used public service mobile applications.