COIMBATORE: People living close to Kavundampalayam and Thudiyalur police station limits have raised concerns over safety alleging lax patrolling by police personnel at night. They say ganja trade and prostitution are on the rise in the two localities and accuse police personnel from the two stations of squabbling over jusridiction.
The two police stations were formed in 2023 by bifurcating nearby police stations and merging a few localities with them. However, there is confusion in the jurisdiction of rural and city police limits which drug peddlers and other criminals are taking advantage of.
Parthiban (name changed), a resident of Bagavathi Gardens in Kavundampalayam, told TNIE, “Earlier, our area was under Thudiyalur police station limit. After the formation of Kavundampalayam police station, it was merged with it. Since then, patrolling, especially during the night time has stopped completely. As a result, miscreants from the nearby Mullai Nagar come here to carry out illegal activities as the area is a bit isolated and is located on the border between two jurisdictions. Even small boys are involved in ganja peddling. The police officers concerned must increase patrol instead of blaming the other police station.”
A couple of women in the area raised concerns over threats from the miscreants who had allegedly claimed to have 30 cases against him and the local police personnel of being “friends” with him.
Speaking to TNIE, City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan said crimes have dropped after the formation of new police stations, adding would instruct police officer concerned to check into the concerns raised by the residents.”