Cops on prowl to snatch thieves

The presence of shadow cops has been increased in the vicinity of the temple to identify and arrest suspicious persons
Cops on prowl to snatch thieves

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just a day remaining for Attukal pongala, the city police are leaving no stones unturned to prevent the influx of inter-state robbery gangs and burglars into the capital. According to officers of the special branch of city police, the presence of shadow cops has been increased in the vicinity of the temple to identify suspicious movements.

“Every year, a team of burglars and chain-snatchers including women from other states arrive in the city during pongala targeting the women devotees. However, the police have been able to prevent them from carrying out their nefarious agenda during the festival by and large. In order to prevent such crimes we have intensified CCTV surveillance,” said a Special Branch officer.

Last week, three women from Tamil Nadu were arrested by Vattiyoorkavu police for allegedly trying to snatch gold chains from women devotees during a temple festival. On interrogation, the accused revealed a large group of thieves has arrived in the city in view of festival season. The gang members disperse throughout the cities, towns, and villages across the state during festival seasons to commit offenses such as thefts, pickpocketing and chain snatching.

Special police teams from three Tamil Nadu districts

Unlike previous years, the co-operation of Tamil Nadu police have been sought by the city police to curb the chain-snatching menace. Special police teams from three southern districts of Tamil Nadu, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, and Thoothukudi will be deployed during the festival to keep a tab on the notorious snatchers hailing from the state. Besides, the shadow teams are maintaining data comprising the details including photographs of snatchers who were identified in previous years. If anyone of them is found at the festival venue, they will be taken into custody as a preventive measure, city police said.
According to P Prakash, city police commissioner, police personnel including women will be deployed from Thursday morning. “The number of CCTV cameras have been increased from 15 to 65. Unlike last year, we have installed CCTVs at 65 locations in the city. Everyone can be monitored and the persons who are involved in snatching cases will be taken into custody as soon as we spot them. So all the arrangements are in place,” Prakash said.

Booster patrolling will be intensified

Bike patrolling will be intensified in the city for the next three days. Police have collected information on chain snatching incidents that have happened during the past three years. They also have zeroed in on the places from where such cases have been reported the most. The time of occurrences was also noted down and analysed. Currently, the city police have 50 bikes, but only 20 are used daily for patrolling. The rest of the bikes will also be taken out for ‘Booster Patrol’, police said. The duty of ‘Booster Patrol’ squad has been divided into three - prevention, surveillance and detection. Prevention is the duty of uniformed officers. They patrol places and their duty is to let the people know cops are around. Surveillance will be done by policemen in mufti. These men will operate clandestinely and their responsibility is to watch out for unusual movements and people who evoke suspicion.

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