The city police is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a peaceful Parliamentary elections here on April 24 by actively rounding up rowdy and other anti-social elements across the metropolis.
In the operation that has been on since February 20, the Organised Crime Investigation Unit (OCIU) of Central Crime Branch (CCB) had till Friday apprehended as many as 47 criminals. As many as 30 of them were caught during vehicle-checks and were handed over to the OCIU. In addition, the local police apprehended about 60 anti-social elements.
“As many as 10 teams each led by an inspector is on the job in OCIU as per the instructions of city Police Commissioner S George”, said DC (CCB) S Jayakumar.
The police had classified the rowdies who can create law and order problems and unleash election-related violence in four categories, namely A+, A, B and C.
The most notorious are A+ and A. Those on this list would have a minimum three or four cases of murder against them. They were enumerated by the police last year and the number stood at 1,200.
“We have about 250 rowdies in the A+ and A category. All of them will be arrested before April 15 or they will leave the city without causing any trouble due to our drive,” said Jayakumar. “Daily review is being conducted by the Commissioner of Police”, he added.
At night, as many as 60 teams from the law and order wing and 28 teams from the traffic wing conduct vehicle- checks at various points. As and when a history-sheeter surfaces, based on the category, the OCIU would get into action and arrest the rowdy.
‘Thopula’ Kumar, ‘Kuthirai’ Venkatesan, ‘Kumuli’ Rajkumar, ‘Dog’ Ravi, ‘Muttai’ Gopi, ‘Mylapore’ Nirmal, Kavi alias Khalid, Arumuga Nayinar, and ‘Pokkai’ Ravi were among the most notorious gangsters arrested during the drive.
Not just the history-sheeters, even the property theft offenders including chain- snatchers had been arrested during vehicle- checks.
In addition, the Static Surveillance Team and Flying Squads conduct vehicle-checks in the city which comprises parts of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur.
The squads function round-the-clock in three shifts. The squads and teams were led by an official from the Revenue Department of the district concerned and a minimum of three policemen per shift had been assigned on a permanent measure till the enforcement of the poll code of conduct ends.