Armed with tenant data, city police feel fighting crime will get easier. But residents and lawyers don't entirely agree
Is it a necessary step to ensure that Chennai is a crime-free city, or is it an invasion of privacy? The tenant enumeration initiative launched by the city police in the wake of a series of heinous crimes in recent times evokes mixed reactions among residents, some seeing it controversial, and others an acceptable security measure.
City Police Commissioner J.K. Tripathy issued an order on March 3 invoking his magisterial powers under the Criminal Procedure Code, requiring landlords to furnish the name, residential address and occupation of their tenants, apart from their mobile phone number, permanent address, previous place of residence, a photograph and copy of a valid identity card. The filled-in tenant information form then has to be submitted to the jurisdiction police station.
On the face of it, it looks like a basic law enforcement measure that involves the local police getting to know the residents in its jurisdiction. However, some fear possible misuse of the data.
For Mr. Tripathy, it is a question of trusting the police. And that it makes for a safer city if the police are made aware of who is staying where and what they do for a living. Some of the responses of residents and lawyers suggest that it may not be as simple as that. Some tenants voice their fear about giving away their photograph and mobile numbers, while lawyers argue that the step may prove to be invasive, if not illegal.
The recent killing of five suspects in bank robbery cases at a residential locality in Velachery that seems to be the immediate provocation for the new tenant enumeration system to be put in place, but the police say other cities, including Mumbai and Delhi, have long had such a system.
It was not merely the recent encounter with bank robbery suspects that made them resort to such an enumeration of tenants, Mr. Tripathy said. There were three or four previous cases in which those involved in crimes were staying in the city without their landlords knowing much about them.
More than 160 police stations under the city police have been issuing such forms to house owners.
Mr. Tripathy termed the new initiative ‘a tool to prevent crime' and a move towards a safer Chennai. “The collected data will remain with the SHO (station house officer) and will be analysed and subjected to verification, if necessary. The verification could be done in a discreet manner,” he said.
He added that the response from residents, especially from the suburbs, has been encouraging so far.
The move by the police can not be termed as an encroachment on the privacy of an individual or land lord.Before being rented the flat or house it is for the owner to obtain full address/details such as name,place of working,phone number including I.D proof of the tenant.This could help find out the foolproof information relating to the tenant as and when required.So, APPREHENSIONS if any on this issue are misplaced and unwarranted.Let us cooperate with the authorities concerned to help overcome the threats at every opportune time which one might not be aware of, since policemen after all the watch dogs of society in whom we can repose faith and trust..
It is amazing the folks who reside in USA comment on this. In US,
the data is under the threat of compromise. The police probably
are not corrupt and brutal like the ones who roam the wild-wild Tamilnadu. They do not rape women in police stations. Our police, I won't even cross the lanes that they walk. They are nothing but licensed goondas. And I am not a loner in these opinions. Under security, compromising the privacy (especially details of women and children) with their photographs (which becomes public property subject to abuse) is absolutely ridiculous. There is no guarantee of safeguarding. The anonymity to an ordinary citizen SHOULD be granted. I do not live in a Nazi state. Those in US, they do not carry the pictures of your children, spouse just because you rent an apartment. TN police is arrogant, corrupt and this is blatant abuse. We are not to lose our freedom to exist because there was some robberies and the police were inept.
This is may be possible in countries having population like that of the
USA or similar ones. Bring in the AADHAR with 100% coverage and
integrate it with all other agencies. This will eliminate the need of
Tenants Enumeration.
Of all things to trust police. Surely you are trusting mate. First of all this data will be sold to marketing companies for making phone calls for selling their services to people of Chennai. I am sure Mr. Tripathy can make a fortune from it. We must observe movements of Mr. Tripathy 24/7 after data has been collected. As far as crime is concerned I do not think it will lessen crime. Police is the criminal. Because they take money from all criminals. They themselves commit crime for money. Nothing is going to change from this data collection. Expect more phone calls though.
Every initiative is wrought with pitfalls & negative comments. I full agree with the CoP that there should be infobank of details of all the tenants, particularly the floating population. It is wrong to assume that the Police would misuse the data/information. Why should we not reveal our identity.? And should we not reveal further particulars, if we aren't proud of that.? There had been instances where my identity had saved me from many an embarrassing situations. The Police are the watchdogs of the citizens. If they have no clue whatsover about the locals then it would definitely result in inefficiency during exigencies. At that point of time, there would be a hue & cry. How many of us, in a residential apartment, know the profile of our neighbours, particularly the tenants.? Our details are well captured in numerous ways including the KYC & CIBIL. Police need not be left far behind in streamiling the system. Let us help the Police to make the city a "garden of peace".
Actually, the comments here are exactly correct. How can innocent people give their full details believing police personnel? All police we can't trust. Instead of this, government can ask each person to hold an ID Card -- now like me so many people are having cards where the information given by us is not there and some other wrong information is printed there. Age, husband name all varies from what we gave government should make it easy to get the wrong ID cancelled and issue a fresh exact ID.
For a small fee (bribe), it will be possible for all roadside romeos to get all the details of the girls they would like to get to know better. All they have to do is make an offer to the lower ranked policemen of the right jurisdiction.
For a slightly higher fee (bribe), it will be possible to find out everything about anybody from the police. I can see touts jumping at many opportunities to sell their services to many of these potential "clients". And I can see many criminal uses for this sort of information.
This seems like a roundabout way to go about providing security. How about just ensuring the landlords have the information about their tenants, and simply asking them to provide it during an investigation as a matter of procedure? Why should this kind of data be collected at all, when our police forces hardly ever do any investigative information gathering anyway?
Will the police sign a "non disclosure agreement" with each tenant in good faith? Is that too much to ask?
The task taken by the agencies is an uphill task; and may turn out to be an incomplete information; and has to be constantly updated. With the limited manpower at their disposal [police to people ratio], these data need to be outsourced and will be prone to misuse by service provider.
Hence,a better policing with the existing methods or methodology and a better, vigilant and co-operative public will be sufficient. If this trend is followed in every state in India, it will pose more risks to residents residing in other states. Hence, let us appeal to Commissioner to cancel the requirement.
If the landlord, or the tenant have a problem giving this information to the police, then, the police have the authority to arrest/ harass them. But, when this information gets into the hands of the wrong people because somebody in the police forces leaked it out for some money, who is going to be put to the burner? Unfortunately, in both these cases, the person who stands to lose is the person who is supposed to be protected. Given the track record of the police forces in India, I wouldn't trust them with all this information. I would suggest the police to start some confidence-building by being touted as the force that stands by it's honour to defend and help the people. Only after the trust of the people is earned can such measures be successfully employed. In my opinion, if the police did their job as they should, such measures will not be necessary in the first place.
@Sunsevvur-It is easy to point fingers at Police especially in a lawless nation like India where an IPS Officer is killed in daylight in Madhya Pradesh-educated people support criminals. Any nation that has progressed I have seen it is madatory to give your IDENTITY to the Police I do not see what is so wrong about what Mr. J. K. Tripathy is asking for??? Come on if the local Police station want my name and adress and where I work of course I will give it that is something I need to do unless I am a criminal of course I will then hide my identity. So you are asking me what is my name and where I work will I be brave enough to declare in a forum like this? Why not-my name is Vikram Niranjan and I work as an Instructional Designer currently for a company called L TECK MEDIA in Ashok Nagar 4th Avenue above BROWN TREE departmental store. What is that I need to fear in saying who I am? My e-mail id is vikrambalaji@hotmail.com. So I if can give my details then why cannot Police ask for that?
The way the lower level police work and the way they behave with general
public, all law abiding citizens of Tamilnadu avoid the police stations
as they would avoid any rattle snake..the history of lower level police
is short of a goonda/rowdy/dada anything but civilised..how can we trust
them with sensitive data of an individual..at best it can be kept in the
office of Residents welfare association where police can and look
for..these cannot be trusted with any police fellow.
For our size of population it is a thoughtless move which will only have its natural death mainly because: 1.Police have no infrastructure to maintain such huge records and update regularly. Neither they can be trusted for their integrity in keeping those information in strict confidence. 2. Difficult for all the citizens to comply with this in practice. The best solution is to expedite the Electronic ID Card system for every citizen capturing all the relevant data and which will be accessible to any government agency at state and national level. Implementation of this is 100% possible in the bracket of all those who have the capacity to earn a living and rent a house or own a house.
From how the police behaves with the public and their callous attitudes, it is unpredictable as to how this huge data will be used. If it gets passed on to other unruly elements for payment then it is bound to become more dangerous that what we are now facing. These are things that have to be deeply deliberated and then implemented. Not on the spur of the moment like the commissioner has done now.
There is a reference to Mumbai and Delhi where it is reported to be already put in practise. I have stayed in these places for more than 12 years and never came across any thing like this.
This is so common in USA, they can pull your entire histoy where you lived, what you did and so forth just in the form of credit history. They won't even rent you an apartment if you don't provide these details in written application.
It is absolutely a welcome move. In several cities in US before you get into as a tenant you are supposed to prove your identity plus your ability to pay rent and that you are employed. In addition several cities require you to register with the city and police station with the entire family details. In case of fire or other emergency the responders know how many are in the house and who should be contacted etc.
I see this as first step, but I wish they document the data properly and make it available at instant in case of necessity, unless otherwise Its another futile exercise as many many chennai has seen.
For issuing voter ID and Citizen ID and issue of passport, we are giving our personal data. Is it invasive?
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