TIRUCHY: Alarmed by the rise in violence and crime in the Chathiram Bus Stand, the latest being the murder of a private bus conductor on last Friday in public view, commuters and activists have called for stringent policing inside the facility, which, according to Tiruchy city corporation sources, sees a footfall of over one lakh people on a daily basis.
The facility comes under the Fort police station limits, and is surrounded by several schools, colleges, and shops, making the area crowded from early morning till late night. Though a police outpost (OP) functions inside the bus stand with two personnel deployed per shift, passengers alleged that their role is is limited to receiving complaints and passing them to the Fort police station. Due to the absence of a consistent and visible policing clashes erupt among school and college students often, and other crimes also, raising serious concerns over public safety.
According to police records, at least 10 to 20 theft cases, including bike thefts and chain snatching, are reported in the bus stand every month, especially during peak hours. Senior officers claim patrol vehicles are deployed, but people say they are not actively visible and foot patrol is also absent in the bus stand. Activists say that despite the installation of nearly 60 CCTV cameras in and around the bus stand, crimes continue unabated due to poor monitoring.
Speaking to TNIE, activist P Ayyarappan, who has repeatedly raised the issue, said, “Fights involving school and college students occur almost daily. Minor crimes are ignored, and there is no proper patrolling during peak hours and weekends. Despite the presence of a police outpost, public safety is not ensured. At times, there is no police presence at all.”
C Kavitha, a commuter from Jeeyapuram who works at a textile shop, said, “I feel unsafe at the bus stand due to lack of visible police presence, especially at night. At times, my father picks me up from my workplace after work.”
When contacted, a city police official said, “We are closely monitoring the bus stand, and patrol vehicles are stationed there during peak hours. Many crimes occur due to commuters’ negligence. . In view of the festive season, four additional police personnel have been deployed at the outpost.”