VELLORE: Around 42 police patrol vehicles were fitted with GPS devices to enable efficient policing and better monitoring, said Vellore superintendent of police Rajesh Kannan on Thursday "We will monitor the movement through mobile apps. We're planning to add GPS to 20 more devices. All the vehicles will have blinkers and sirens. This will ensure transparency and accountability," he said.
Five of the patrol vehicles are bikes and the rest are four-wheelers. The police stations in urban areas will be allotted two GPS vehicles due to the workload. Rural police stations will have one vehicle each.
Kannan was interacting with mediapersons after an event in his office. Vellore police handed over 60 mobile phones to their original owners and are tracking 150 more with the IMEI number.
Mountable cameras with a live-streaming facility will be used for improving security and they will be moved depending upon the need, the SP said. Important checkposts like Christianpet will be monitored with live-streaming surveillance cameras.
Kannan further said that action against ganja and gutka peddlers was increased after the launch of Ganja operation 2.0, adding that the police are monitoring the drug trafficking from Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring areas. "Arrests will be made under the Goondas Act if 1kg of ganja or more is seized. We are coordinating with the Andhra Pradesh police department and surveillance is carried out to stop smuggling through trains and buses," he said.
In the last ten days, 44.400 kg of ganja has been seized, 14 cases were filed and 17 accused have been arrested. Meanwhile, 824 kg of gutka was seized, 95 cases were registered and eight arrests have been made.
Steps will be taken to clear traffic congestion and encroachment on the pavements along Ida Scudder Road, Long Bazaar and Mundy Street, the SP added.
Kannan also revealed his plans to monitor school children. "We have identified around 500 schools. WhatsApp groups are being created with headmasters, teachers, parents and people surrounding the schools like tea shop workers to report on suspicious or illegal activity by the students." he said, adding that inspectors and other personnel will take steps according to the information.