Heed the warning

Police appeal to beach-goers not to invite trouble at Yarada, RK Beach and Rushikonda which are identified as most dangerous. According to Three Town Police Station SHO S. Appala Raju, the department has identified three spots – Yarada, RK Beach and Rushikonda – as most dangerous.

There is a clear warning written on the wall, and despite that people walk into the jaws of death, says Assistant Commissioner of Police (East Sub-Division) D.N. Mahesh. He was referring to the number of deaths due to drowning at various spots at the beach, while addressing a public meeting held recently. “The police are doing their best to save people, but the response from the other side is very weak,” he says.

In 2010 there were about 45 deaths, in 2011 the number was 52, in 2012 some 42 people drowned, in 2013 the count was 40 and this year at RK Beach alone the count has already touched 14.

According to Three Town Police Station SHO S. Appala Raju, the department has identified three spots – Yarada, RK Beach and Rushikonda – as most dangerous and has posted community guards as live savers, but still drowning deaths go uncontrolled.

Several hoardings have also been installed to dissuade people from swimming, but still there is no effect.

Mincing no words, Deputy Commissioner of Police M. Srinivasulu has said that to control drowning deaths the cooperation of all stakeholders is needed, including NGOs, various government departments such as VUDA and GVMC and most importantly the people and tourists. His message is clear, “Enjoy the scenic beauty and don’t spoil the party with a freak mishap.”

Recently, two youths were arrested by the Anandapuram police for cheating people at banks using innovative techniques. They cleverly lured people by convincing them that they were bank employees and in the pretext of depositing their cash without any hassle of standing in a queue, scooted with the money. Similarly, a four-member gang was arrested by the One Town Police for robbing a couple who were on their way to home after watching a late night film. Out of the four, two were juveniles and the others were in their early twenties.

In the last six months, we arrested 10 such gangs, and the common factors being that most of them were in their early twenties, a few were juveniles and all were addicted to vices, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) J. Muralidhar.

The trend of getting attracted towards vices such as gambling, drinking and womanising at a young age is acting like adrenaline on their minds. “Most of them confessed that they took to crime to fund their vices. To curb the problem at the root we need to first address this problem. It is a societal problem and all stakeholders such as parents, teachers, police and NGOs, should play a key role,” said the DCP.