Chennai Police make special security arrangements for Christmas celebrations

The special arrangements will be in place from Sunday evening since the celebrations will begin that night, said police.

People purchasing Christmas decorations at Rahman Decoration Centre at Parrys corner in Chennai. | Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran

The Greater Chennai City Police will deploy 8000 police personnel to ensure that the public celebrate Christmas eve in a peaceful and safe manner.

The special arrangements will be in place from Sunday evening since the celebrations will begin that night, said police. 

Special vehicle checks have been ordered at important junctions and appropriate action will be taken against those indulging in bike races, over-speeding, drunken driving, and traffic violations. 

Arrangements have been made to monitor around 350 churches in Chennai from Sunday night through Monday by a police team led by police officers on a rotational basis and carry out elaborate security measures, as the public will visit churches from Sunday night and offer special prayers.

Law and Order, Crime Branch and Traffic Police personnel have been posted to carry out the security and traffic streamlining works to the churches where the public gather in large numbers, including Mylapore Santhome Church, Besant Nagar Velankanni Church, Anthony’s Church in Parry’s corner, Anna Salai St George (Cathedral) Church, Saidapet Chinnamalai Church. 

Arrangements have been made to ensure safety awareness on the public address system (PAS) through police teams near churches. Police teams will continue patrolling round the clock and keep an eye on the culprits to prevent them from indulging in crimes like pickpocketing, theft, etc. using crowds. Apart from this, arrangements have been made to monitor it through CCTV cameras and drone cameras, said Commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore. 

Barricades have been set up at important junctions and special arrangements have been made to carry out special vehicle checks through blinkering lights and to ensure that there will not be crimes like chain snatching, cell phone snatching. 

 Special arrangements have been made to monitor and carry out safety measures through the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to prevent the public going to beaches including Marina, Santhome, Besant Nagar, Neelankarai and from venturing into the sea and to issue advisories.

The Greater Chennai Traffic Police has made arrangements for smooth traffic and parking lots near churches ahead of Christmas and to capture the registration numbers of vehicles involved in violations through Automatic Number Plate Recognition and CCTV cameras installed at important junctions and send fines to vehicle owners with appropriate proof.