Slum dwellers take law into their hands (BBC)

The Mumbai police have been trying out an interesting way to maintain order in slums and it has been working well. The scheme, which recruits seven women and three men in each slum to work alongside an official police officer in a group known as a panchayat, has been highly successful so far in reducing crime.

Under the panchayat system, the selected slum dwellers act as community officials. Inhabitants are able to bring disputes before the panchayats, with the idea bring that they represent the "entire community together."

The plan started in 15 slums and there are now panchayats in 100 with more to come.

Mumbai's police commissioner presented details of this scheme at the World Urban Forum in Barcelona.