An old-time resident of Perambur, 71-year-old K S Krishnan would never have imagined that he would be duped and robbed in his neighbourhood in broad daylight. A few weeks ago, Krishnan, a retired Central government employee, went to a temple in Thiruvanmiyur and was getting back home. When he got down from the bus and went to a nearby shop, a person claiming to be a police personnel waylaid him saying that he should be careful of his valuables and talked him into putting his gold chain and rings, which were around 3.5 sovereigns, in his pocket. The stranger said he would help him. But when Krishnan reached home he realised that his valuables were gone.
The elderly man lodged a complaint with the K1 Sembium Police Station.
On the day of the incident, Bharath Kumar A G, a resident of Venkatraman Canal Street and a fellow member of the Perambur Neighbourhood Development Forum informed us that officials from the Greater Chennai Police-Crime Branch visited his house to take the CCTV footage of the crime. The officials came to Bharath’s residence based on the complaint filed by Krishnan.
A Smart Wifi CCTV pillar is located at the intersection of Perambur High Road and Venkatraman Canal Street. Despite this, why did the police officials seek footage from a resident?
Why has a Community Service Register (CSR) receipt not been issued to the complainant so far?
According to Krishnan, the police officials allegedly asked him to provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of four witnesses to the incident. How can a senior citizen, who is a victim of a daylight robbery, be expected to gather witnesses?
No action taken by the authorities
So, as crime rates have escalated in the locality and policing has deteriorated recently, these pressing questions demand immediate answers.
Read more: Making Chennai safer for senior citizens
Krishnan also shared details of his terrible ordeal in an interview with members of the Perambur Neighbourhood Development Forum, including me. We uploaded the video of this interaction on Facebook Live on September 6, 2024, to create awareness among residents.
The video link was tagged to the Greater Chennai Police, the Chief Minister’s Office and the mainstream media with the hope that the matter would be escalated. Since then, Krishnan has been following up closely with the Crime Branch officials. The elderly man has been running from pillar to post to get the CSR but to no avail. The local police officials have only allowed the victim to take a photograph of the petition and a CSR has not been issued to date.
If a senior citizen can be robbed of his belongings in broad daylight, close to the busy arterial bus route road and railway station, there is something seriously wrong with policing in the city. Chennai was once known to be the safest city in India and our law enforcement agency was compared to being on par with Scotland Yard.
Here are some tips to follow when faced with such a situation
- Refrain from engaging in conversation with strangers when travelling alone by bus or train.
- If someone corners you in a public space and threatens you, don’t panic. Ask for their identity card issued by enforcement agencies.
- The prosecution must prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. Evidence is essential to prove any crime. Try to move closer to a location with a crowd or CCTV cameras. While bystanders may not intervene, someone may discreetly record the incident and share it on social media.
- Whenever you file a complaint, the officials at the police station are required to issue a CSR. Remember that the CSR receipt serves as proof of filing a complaint and can be used for insurance settlements.
- Often, officials may ask you to take a photograph of the petition filed as proof of a non-cognizable offence and may not issue a CSR receipt unless you insist.
- An FIR is only registered for cognizable offences. Police officials may try to delay or deny the registration of an FIR. Be aware of your rights when lodging a complaint at the police station.
- In this digital era, information is valuable. Being an active member of a Civic Engagement Forum or Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) can better equip you to handle such situations.
- Use the online complaint option to generate a CSR: Online Complaint Link.
- Social media has empowered citizens to effectively address their grievances. Consider using these platforms to file your petitions.
Increase in crime and decrease in policing
Venkatraman Canal Street in Perambur has long been plagued by various illegal activities. We have filed numerous petitions over the past few years regarding chain snatching, motorcycle and scooter thefts, eve teasing, drunken brawls, public consumption of liquor, illegal parking, and public nuisances. These issues have been reported in both print and digital media.
Recently, police beat patrolling in our neighbourhoods has significantly declined. In the past, police officials would sign the beat patrol registers in our area three to four times a day. However, patrol vehicles have been replaced with motorbikes and bicycles, and we rarely see or meet local law enforcement officials anymore.
This decline in visible policing has only encouraged criminal elements within the community. Visible policing is crucial for reinforcing public confidence in law enforcement agencies. We urge the Greater Chennai Police authorities to take our concerns seriously and increase patrols in our neighbourhoods, especially in residential areas near the Perambur Railway Station.
Non-functional CCTV cameras hinder policing
In September 2024, an attempted theft was captured on CCTV in Vasan Street, while a two-wheeler was reported stolen from Saraswathi Square Street, near the Aavin Zonal office, by the same crime branch officials, who returned to gather fresh footage from Bharath’s residence.
Moreover, the Smart Wifi CCTV camera poles installed at the intersections of Perambur High Road and Venkatraman Canal Street, as well as the CCTV Cameras installed at Venkatraman Street and Venkatraman Canal Street, have not been connected to the control room at the K1 Police Station. The CCTVs installed under the 3rd Eye Scheme were shelved for reasons unknown to us.
Enforcement officials have been forced to seek CCTV footage from residents because most of the cameras installed by the Greater Chennai Police under the 3rd Eye Project, initiated by former Commissioner of Police A K Vishwanathan, are defunct. Despite our concerns over the years, no action has been taken to restore these non-functional cameras.
Illegal activities on the rise
The junction of Venkatraman Street and Bharathi Road is particularly susceptible to illegal activities. We have repeatedly reported rampant smoking and alcohol consumption by school-going children and youth in this area. Local patrol officials claim they are helpless, suggesting that government policies have emboldened tipplers, as liquor sales are a state-owned business in Tamil Nadu.
Moreover, TASMAC shops and bars are supposed to operate from 12 pm to 10 pm, but we frequently see people consuming alcohol on the streets at midnight, in the early morning hours, and even before the shops open for the day. It is no longer a secret that liquor is being sold blatantly in the black market. Tipplers openly drink on the streets, leaving empty bottles discarded in front of residences.
A few months ago, we escalated a complaint regarding the theft of a two-wheeler from our neighbourhood in the middle of the night. The culprit was a young student from one of Chennai’s renowned colleges. After 4 to 5 failed attempts to break the locks of Bullet motorcycles, he successfully stole a Honda Activa. The vehicle was later recovered from the SRM University compound in Chengelpet District and has since been returned to its owner.
We frequently hear about a shortage of personnel as an excuse for the lack of policing. Senior officials have openly stated on several occasions that deploying sufficient police personnel for patrolling is impossible.
It is disheartening to see that VIP security duties take precedence over maintaining law and order or addressing the crime and traffic issues faced by ordinary citizens.
Suggestions to ensure safety and effective policing
- Restore existing CCTV infrastructure: Fix the defunct cameras and control room at the K1 Police Station set up under the 3rd Eye Project, and ensure they are properly maintained.
- Enforce strict police patrolling: Increase police presence in residential neighbourhoods near Railway Stations and Tasmac bars, which are hotspots for illegal activities.
- Engage local residents: Strengthen the ‘Friends of Police’ initiative by involving educated, unemployed youth from the community.
- Collaborate with civic engagement forums: Regularly engage with members of Civic Engagement Forums and Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs).
- Adopt best practices for traffic management: To address issues of rash driving and illegal parking, implement successful strategies used by enforcement agencies in other cities.
- Introduce a Traffic Sentinel app: This app will empower citizens to identify and report issues with supporting evidence.
- Utilise social media for reporting: The social media channels of Greater Chennai Police and Greater Chennai Traffic Police have enabled residents to report issues confidently. We urge officials to take these petitions seriously rather than ignoring them.
- Professional Training for Police Officials: Police personnel should be trained to handle petitioners professionally. It is unacceptable to treat victims like criminals.
- Timely Justice: Justice delayed is justice denied. Rather than putting pressure on victims or adopting delaying tactics, it is essential to take corrective action promptly.
- Ensure Timely Issuance of Complaints: Station House Officers (SHOs) must ensure that Complaint Registration Slips (CRS) are issued as soon as a complaint is filed. Depending on the outcome of preliminary inquiries, they should register the FIR without unnecessary delays.