The Vadakara sandbank, a destination popular with domestic tourists in the district, is turning into an unsafe spot with instances of verbal abuse and manhandling of visitors on the rise. Recently, a couple was assaulted by some persons in a case of suspected ‘moral policing.’
Local people say such incidents are on the rise owing to poor security and surveillance. Police patrolling is minimal, as police vehicles mostly concentrate on highways and other places.
P.P. Renjini, chairperson of the Vadakara municipality, said the local administration was helpless in tackling the issue or appointing its security staff as the sandbank was the property of the Revenue Department. “But, as it is a public issue, the municipality is concerned about preventing untoward incidents through all possible measures,” she said.
Ms. Renjini said the sandbank would be fully secure once the Tourism Department took over the destination from the Revenue Department, and took steps for the protection of the tourists. People’s representatives from the region said the rural police could easily solve the problem by deploying a few police officers for surveillance. At present, there was no regular patrolling or surveillance in the area to keep troublemakers at bay, they said.
Coastal police stationThough work on a coastal police station on the sandbank has begun, it is slow. C.K. Nanu, MLA, said the completion of the coastal police station would ensure protection of tourists and the coastal belt from Kappad to Azhiyoor.
Meanwhile, police officials from the Vadakara station said they were acting tough on complaints received from the tourists. “Recently, two youths who allegedly harassed a couple were arrested on the basis of written complaints,” they said.
