The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Udhagamandalam News : Security tightened at Ooty Lake to keep criminal activities at bay

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Udhagamandalam

Security tightened at Ooty Lake to keep criminal activities at bay

D. Radhakrishnan

Action plan to check anti-socials, home guards to assist police

Making progress: With tourists inflow increasing, employees engaged in improving the roads and parking lots near the Ooty Lake. Photo: D. Radhakrishnan

UDHAGAMANDALAM: If it is summer, it must be Ooty, for tens of thousands of people from all over the country who are bitten by the travel bug. Unfortunately, it is also the best time of the year for thieves, pickpockets, burglars and chain-snatchers especially from the plains to indulge in their nefarious activities.

Since it was an accepted fact that the crime rate shot up during the summer season here on account of the floating population and the consequent increased chances of `easy victims,' the Superintendent of Police, Maheshwar Dayal, has put in place a plan of action to check criminal activities, particularly in crowded places such as the Ooty Lake, Government Botanical Garden, Film Shooting Hill, Pykara Lake and Dodabetta Peak.

Sources at the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) told The Hindu here on Friday that a couple of days ago a young boy had distracted the attention of a tourist from Bangalore as he was getting out of his car by spraying some substance on his neck. Before the visitor could realise what had happened the boy had snatched his moneybag and runway. Fortunately a few of the TTDC staff who were nearby managed to catch the culprit. Interrogations revealed that the 12-year-old boy hailed from Thiruvenambur near Tiruchi and he had come with his parents and grandfather to `target' tourists.

On seeing the boy getting caught, the others had escaped. The boy was equipped with a modified screwdriver. Stating that the inflow of tourists to the lake was increasing, the sources said that on an average 5,000 persons visited the lake daily. Though the permanent and temporary staff of the TTDC had been instructed to keep an eye on persons who aroused their suspicion, it was up to the tourists to exercise utmost caution.

While ten new boats have been added to the existing fleet, 60 more were expected before the middle of May.

To improve the overall appearance of the boathouse, the roads and parking areas, which were in a state of neglect for long, were now being repaired.

Mobile workshop

Meanwhile, Mr. Dayal said that in order to check the activities of criminals several police officers and constables in uniform and plain clothes were maintaining a vigil at crowded places such as the Boat House, bus stand and the Government Botanical Garden. They were assisted by home guards.

To nab persons driving while under the influence of alcohol, police personnel with breath analysers would be stationed near the check posts at Burliar, Kunjapanai and Kallatty.

Adverting to the steps taken by the police to help the tourists, he said that a mobile workshop was stationed in Ooty. Motorists with problems could contact telephone no. 100. If the mechanics on the mobile service were not able to set right the problems, a breakdown van would tow the vehicles to the nearest workshop.

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