TIRUCHY: Several police beat offices established at strategic locations across Tiruchy city to prevent crime and provide residents with easy access to police assistance have remained locked for over three years due to an acute shortage of personnel. This has raised concerns amid residents over inadequate patrolling and neighbourhood safety.
Of the approximately 50 beat offices set up under the city’s 14 law and order police stations, several in Fort, Srirangam, Gandhi Market, Cantonment, Palakkarai, E Pudur, KK Nagar, Woraiyur and Thillai Nagar police limits have remained unused, while others operate with skeletal staff.
Each police station has three to five beat offices, normally manned by a head constable or special sub-inspector. However, the shortage of personnel has left many offices unattended and poorly maintained, with dust-covered furniture, rusting equipment and premises being used for vehicle parking. Residents allege that some locations have also become spots for alcohol consumption at night.
The absence of beat officers has affected routine surveillance. Earlier, personnel maintained patta books (beat books) containing details of important streets, ATMs and government offices, recording their visits during patrols. Such checks have reportedly declined considerably.
Residents said the closure of beat offices has forced them to approach police stations even for minor grievances, adding to the workload of personnel already handling emergency calls and other complaints.
Concerns over security were heightened by an incident on October 1, when a 43-year-old history-sheeter was arrested for allegedly breaking into beat office No 45, damaging furniture and assaulting and threatening two SSIs on patrol.
“Frequent incidents of chain-snatching, housebreaking and theft have made residents worried about their safety. There are no regular patrols in vulnerable streets. Criminals seem to have little fear as they rarely see police personnel on patrol,” said R Vellaiyan, a KK Nagar resident.
C Velmurugan, a shopkeeper on Old Madurai Road, said a functioning beat office and regular patrols would deter illegal activities.
A city police officer attributed the situation to severe understaffing. “The strength in police stations is already almost half of the required number. Even the available personnel are sometimes deployed for security duty. With the existing strength, it is difficult to maintain all beat offices. We can manage only one important beat in each station area,” the officer said. Attempts to contact Tiruchy City Police Commissioner Rupesh Kumar Meena were unsuccessful.