To prevent chainsnatching incidents in the busy areas of T. Nagar, the police have adopted a novel measure of distributing scarves to women shoppers for covering the neck.
The idea was conceived by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), T. Nagar, D.N. Hari Kiran Prasad.
“As chain-snatching incidents happen mostly when women are on the move on the busy streets while looking at the displays in the shop windows, we believe that scarves can deny the offenders a chance to strike,” Mr. Prasad said.
At the entry point of the shopping areas, the police stand and conduct body temperature tests on shoppers before letting them into shops.
They also hand out scarves to them free of cost and insist that they wear it.
M. Kalaiarasan, Mambalam inspector, said, “We distribute 500 free pieces to shoppers daily. This has received good response from the public. We also distribute them at bus stands and other places.”
More than 1,200 CCTV cameras installed around the shopping areas would be activated. In addition to carrying out surveillance using drones, police personnel with body cameras would also be deployed to monitor the crowds.
Facial recognition
And there are also cameras with facial recognition technology, which can easily detect the presence of history-sheeters in the crowd. The cameras have been installed on Usman Road, Ranganathan Street and near the Mambalam railway station.
Watch towers have also been erected, where policemen will be watching the public using binoculars. A temporary control room, too, has been established.
Shopkeepers have been asked to reduce the extension of their displays before their shops so that people can walk freely without any hindrance on Ranganathan Street and surrounding areas. In order to ensure free movement of pedestrians on Ranganathan Street, barricades have been placed in the middle of the street.
Those entering the busy shopping area can walk on one side of the barricaded area and come out on the other.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-city-police-distribute-scarves-to-women-shoppers-in-t-nagar/article32948404.ece
