Incidents of attacks on senior citizens, especially when they are alone, abuse by youngsters, burglary and other crimes are on the rise in the city, and it is high time the authorities established neighbourhood watch committees in collaboration with residents’ welfare associations, senior citizens demanded.
This will aid in ensuring better safety and security of senior citizens at various residential colonies. More importantly, when complaints are lodged, miscreants particularly target the complainants, and this menace has to be curbed, said Citizens Council for City Development.
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“Miscreants abuse and attack senior citizens when they go for morning and evening walks on colony streets. Many deliberately park their vehicles in front of houses and enter into arguments, creating nuisance,” said Katragadda Narsaiah, president of the Citizens Council for City Development, which submitted a representation to Sub Collector S. Nagalakshmi on Tuesday. Such incidents are regularly being reported from Moghalrajpuram and Christhurajpuram.
ComplaintsIn the past, several complaints were lodged to police and other senior authorities but there was no action, Mr. Narsaiah added. “This is a bad trend and could dent the city’s image.
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“There are nearly 200 residential colonies and close to 11,000 pensioners in the city, and the number is set to increase with every passing year,” said V. Prasada Rao, general secretary of State Government Pensioners’ Association. Setting up neighbourhood watch committees in residential associations will help in controlling crime against senior citizens.
Committees will keep a watch on those moving suspiciously and police patrolling should be intensified, he said.