CUTTACK: The six km stretch from Nuabazar to Biribati square under Chauliaganj limits remains in dark after sunset. Taking advantage of the darkness are the criminals and petty thieves who are escaping the clutches of police. But, not anymore. To rein in the criminal activities, the locals took up the cudgels and decided to prevent entry of outsiders to their areas by keeping a vigil. Police, on their part, suggested residents to instal CCTV cameras to prevent thefts and crimes.
A senior police officer said, patrolling has been strengthened and local police have been instructed to advise residents and members of welfare associations to instal CCTV cameras in their localities for better law and order management. The presence of third eye vigil also acts as a deterrent to crimes, he added. Heeding to the advise of city police, members of different associations have installed over 50 CCTV cameras at more than 10 strategic points.
While Sikharpur Puja Committee has installed eight CCTV cameras at Sikharpur Square to keep a tab on activities of criminals coming from Jagatpur, Mahanadi Vihar, OMP Square and Jobra sides, Chauliaganj and Bidyadharpur committees have installed surveillance system at their puja mandaps projecting adjacent main roads.
Informing this, Inspector in-charge of Chauliaganj police station Ajay Kumar Das said, “The Tarini Temple management at Biribati also installed CCTV cameras. Similarly, proprietor of Manorama Market Complex near Bana Bidyadharpur, a shopkeeper at Gatiroutpatana, a sweet stall owner at OMP and another shop at Sidheswar Square, have expanded their surveillance system and set up additional CCTV cameras outside their business establishments after being motivated by police.” Sources said after sunset, the six-km stretch turns isolated and darkness only adds to a criminal’s advantage.
Police also urged the authorities of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to instal LED lights in crime-prone areas and roads on priority basis. Recently, LED lights were installed on a major portion of Nuabazaar-Biribati Square road and the rest will be illuminated within a day or two, Das said. On the other hand, four years have passed since police proposed to instal CCTV cameras at various strategic locations of the city for a wider surveillance system but nothing much has been done on this front. The Commissionerate Police had conducted a survey in 2014 in this regard.