CHENNAI: Residents of Ayyappanthangal are having a nightmare as the government complex in the area, they say, is being used for anti-social activities in the night, making the locality unsafe, especially for women. The complex, located at VGN Nagar First Main Road, houses the local Panchayat office, an Anganwadi and a ration shop.
“After 5 pm everyday, miscreants gather at the lobby outside the ration shop and drink liquor. Since both the gates of the campus are always open, they enter without any hindrance. We have been seeing at least 10 to 15 people congregating in this space in the nights,” says one of the residents, on condition of anonymity. The liquor bottles are later thrown around and scattered all over the place, he adds.
“On holidays, they start during the day itself. Also, we suspect they might be using drugs as we see a man selling them something on a trolly in the nights. When residents question them, they threaten us,” says P Sankaran, another resident of the area. Women have also reported incidents of being groped at night.
KR Vinitha, who works on a night shift says: “These men grope us and pass lewd comments. It has become impossible to venture out once dusk sets in.” The residents say they have registered a police complaint, however, no official action has been taken yet. Police officials said that patrol vehicles have been making rounds.