Some people have found these billings, financed by Autocop India, insensitive. They filed a complaint at the Juvenile Welfare Board saying these posters should be removed. Autocop, Delhi Police and the municipal authorities have to give in their replies to the board by next week.

The board says that it is the duty of society and the police to protect its children. But these posters portray them as petty criminals. Board member Anita Pandit says the posters in Vasant Kunj, Defence Colony, Sabzi Mandi and places in west Delhi are anti-children. Praveen Khurana of Autocop India Private Limited said he would remove the posters which were put up in the north, west and south Delhi, if people found them offensive.

But he felt that the billings were there to alert the public about a particular type of crime and it does not say anywhere that the children should be handed over to the police. He stressed that his company had nothing to do with the posters' contents, which was decided by the police. There were other messages too like Gali ke padosi ki nigahe choro se bacha sakti hai (one must have good neighbourly relations as neighbours can save your home from robbers).

Crime Branch DCP Pradeep Srivastav said he was not aware of these posters or of any notices against the police, while DCP South Sudheer Yadav said such protests against posters mean nothing. ``If these people truly care then they should improve these children's living conditions and the police would help,'' he said. Two or three groups of children had been caught stealing from cars at crossings near Defence Colony, Sarita Vihar and Raj Ghat, he said.