Uttarakhand Police joined TikTok a month after their Kerala counterparts joined the app

The Uttarakhand Police Department has joined the popular Chinese short-form video platform as it looks to "connect" with the general public at a very "personal" level.

It follows Kerala Police which joined TikTok last month and have over 2.25 lakh followers.

"We believe being on TikTok gives us the opportunity to be easily approachable, while allowing us to connect with the general public at a very personal level," senior police officer Ashok Kumar said in a statement.

He added that Uttarakhand police would like to share awareness videos related to road safety, cyber security, woman safety and other social issues through the platform.

Through the account, Uttarakhand police will create and post videos that raise awareness among the youth on various social issues as well as coordinate with creators who have become a sensation on TikTok to lend their messages an effective voice, a statement said.

"We are looking forward to spread more positivity in the state of Uttarakhand with our videos on the app," he said.

Nitin Saluja, director of Public Policy (India) at TikTok said the company is committed to India's growing digital community.

"...it is a proud moment for us to collaborate with more and more law enforcement agencies across India and make a difference in the society through the power of our platform," he added.

TikTok, which allows people to create short videos and share them has over 200 million users in the country, had its share of troubles in the Indian market.

Last month, the Indian government had issued notices to Tiktok and Helo along with a set of 24 questions regarding the alleged misuse of their platforms for "anti-national activities" in India. The company had responded to the notice.

In April, the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. The order was later lifted and the app was back on app stores.

Interestingly, there have been various reports of government officials including police constables being suspended for shooting and uploading videos on TikTok while on duty.