Prominent locations witnessing heavy public movements and crime-prone spots across the district are poised to be brought under a close watch through installation of surveillance cameras.
The Tiruchi Rural Police has taken the initiative of putting up surveillance cameras at 82 chosen locations to curb crimes and establish the identity of offenders. They have a tie-up with a private agency which would sponsor the cameras for better monitoring in the identified locations. The cameras would be installed at places falling within Samayapuram, Kollidam Tollgate, Tiruverambur, Manapparai, Lalgudi, Musiri, Thuraiyur and Jeeyapuram police station limits.
A beginning in right earnest was made on Wednesday with the police installing cameras at eight select places in Samayapuram including old bus stand, Marudhur road turning and opposite to Sannithi veethi. The remaining 12 cameras would be put up in other key locations at Samayapuram which witnesses a huge turnout of devotees to the Sri Mariamman temple.
The police have decided to install cameras at 12 locations in Tiruverambur, 14 in Manapparai, six in Lalgudi, nine in Musiri, seven in Thuraiyur and four in Jeeyapuram.
The cameras would be connected to the respective jurisdictional police station from where the activities would be monitored round-the-clock. A constable in every station where the cameras are connected would be deputed to monitor the movements, sources said.
Superintendent of Police S. Rajeswari, who inaugurated the initiative, said the long-term plan was to connect the 82 cameras with the control room at the District Police Office for effective monitoring. Crime-prone areas and prominent locations where public movements were heavy have been chosen for installing cameras. The cameras would be installed before the end of this month, she said.
Instances of hit-and-run, chain snatching and robbery taking place at prominent locations could be captured in the cameras which would enable the law enforcers to establish the identity of the accused. The whole idea of installing the cameras was for better monitoring of public places to curb anti-social activity, Ms. Rajeswari said.
Sources say cameras would be a valuable gadget in establishing the identity of the accused in the eventuality of a crime taking place instead of groping in the dark.
