The Hindu : Kerala/Thiruvananthapuram News : Special security scheme for Kazhakoottam area

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 04, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Special security scheme for Kazhakoottam area

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, APRIL 3 . The State police have announced a special security scheme for Kazhakoottam, Thumpa and Medical College areas, which had witnessed a spurt in goonda activity, including three daring attacks against the police in the past two weeks.

The main features of the new scheme include special police squads for arresting habitual offenders, new flying squad vehicles, ranger motorbike patrols, temporary control room at Kazhakoottam and petition boxes at residential areas.

The scheme was unveiled by officials at a police-resident interaction chaired by the Director General of Police, P. K. Hormese Tharakan, at Kazhakoottam on Saturday evening.

The long-term measures being considered by the police include a new station house at Sreekariyam, shifting of the Rural SP's office to Kazhakoottam and augmenting the police outpost at Pothencode. Speaking to residents, Mr. Tharakan said hurling crackers, often exaggerated as bombs, would not deter the police from going after criminals. ``Criminal activity would be crushed regardless of the support and patronage criminals often seem to get,'' he said.

Mr. Tharakan said there could no uniform community-policing scheme applicable for the State as a whole. Hence, district SPs have been given the freedom to try out community policing initiatives suited to local needs in their respective areas of jurisdiction. The DGP said that all district SPs have been asked to enforce the Noise Pollution Act stringently as part of a crack down on misuse of loudspeakers.

The department will also see whether distress calls coming to the Control Room could be automatically directed to the concerned police station. The police will give wide publicity to police station, crime stopper and helpline telephone numbers, he said.

The IG (South Zone), V.R. Rajeevan, said criminal gangs operating in the city have safe houses in suburban areas. He said an anti-goonda law similar to that in Mumbai and Chennai would help the police crack down on urban crime. Police Commissioners should be given the power of executive magistrates to initiate security proceedings against habitual offenders.

The residents of Kazhakoottam told the DGP that those volunteering information on criminals and their sponsors were facing serious threat to life and property. The parking of lorries along the National Highway by-pass was the main reason for the retail of illicit liquor and ganja in the area. The residents of Pothencode and Sreekariyam said they were living in constant dread of criminal gangs consisting mainly of unemployed youth. A resident said Pothencode was one of the least policed areas in the rural district.

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