Chennai: For the neighbourhood, this New Year began with the shocker of a chain being snatched in broad daylight despite CCTVs being installed in a majority of houses. While it is not even a month since it happened, the residents witnessed another case and there are a couple of such incidents happening sporadically in the area.
News Today speaks to a few residents to know about their encounters.
It was just like any other day for Hari Pushpavanam, a resident of Nanganallur, when he was on his routine jogging early in the morning. However, little did he expect that he would witness a crime scene. “There was a middle-aged woman riding a cycle and I was hardly 150 metres away from her early this week in the dimly-lit Sivan Kovil Road. From nowhere, a two-wheeler came on the way and the rider pushed her. I assumed them to be friends and did not bother about it immediately,” he said.
“Soon after he sped away, she began screaming and crying and I happened to realise he was a robber and stole her chain at 6 am,” added Hari.
When he asked the victim to report it to the police, she hesitated.
Eventually, he lodged a complaint on ‘Namma Chennai’ mobile application and the streetlight has been fixed now.
On how safe residents feel, “I have not witnessed any such incident so far and there has not been any problem with lights on the street,” said gynaecologist, Dr Sharmila, from the locality.
Adambakkam police are rendering best possible services and are regularly campaigning to instal CCTVs to protect the area.
“Inspector of Adambakkam station recently met the residents of Telephone Colony and held a meeting. The cops are on their feet and are on high alert. There is a police booth in the vicinity and the streetlights also function well. Despite the measures, petty incidents have happened and the perpetrators are also nabbed by the police with the aid of cameras,” said Telephone Colony Residents’ Welfare Association secretary, Srinivasan S.
“In yet another case, the thieves could not be nabbed as they were wearing helmets,” he added. Collectively, the residents pooled in money and have installed CCTV cameras in several places.
Recently, the Inspector of Police, Adambakkam, interacted with residents of Telephone Colony and advised on the need for resident to join the efforts of the police in providing effective security to the public (photo).