Kerala - Kozhikode   

Video surveillance to curb crime in Kozhikode

Staff Reporter

Police plan to detect terrorist activities

Kozhikode: In the wake of the suspected "terrorist" attacks at the KSRTC and Mofussil bus stations in Kozhikode city in the first week of March, the police have decided to install surveillance cameras at public places, including railway stations and bus stations.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) V. Shantaram said the surveillance cameras would be installed at five places — KSRTC bus station, Mofussil and Palayam bus stations and two railway stations in Kozhikode — in the initial stages. Kozhikode would be the first city in the State to adopt such a security system, he said

He said the closed circuit television (CCTV) would be linked to monitors at the Police Control Room and the Office of the City Police Commissioner. The facility would operate round the clock, he said.

The DIG said two rounds of discussions between the top brass of the police force and technical experts have been held in this connection.

Professionally qualified persons have been entrusted with the project work, he said.

Mobilising resources

He said the modalities to mobilise resources for the project were being worked out with several public-sector undertakings and banks.

The project is estimated to cost Rs.2 lakhs.

"We have sought the financial aid of public enterprises, as the police department cannot obtain funds from its own kitty unless special sanction is made for the purpose," Mr. Shantaram said.

The project would be later extended to places and buildings where the public congregate in large numbers. Cameras will be installed in market places, financial institutions and Government offices, including the Collectorate and Corporation office, he said.

Networking of stations

Another project to be implemented soon is the networking of police stations in the city. Sixteen police stations would be linked through a computer network using the Crime Criminal Information System (CCIS).

This is a project aided by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, said Kozhikode City Police Commissioner H. Venkatesh.

Database

The CCIS, connected to the State Crime Records Bureau and National Crime Records Bureau, will enable police stations in the city to search information on history-sheeters, terrorists and all sorts of crimes at the national and State level. It will have the facility to share database on crimes of inter-district and inter-State, he said.

The CCIS, being simultaneously implemented in Kochi and the State Capital, will be operational within a month.

The national-level Automated Finger Print Identification System will also be integrated to the CCIS.

The computerisation package would help the police to keep a tab on suspected anti-social elements and curb terrorist activities in the country, Mr. Venkatesh said.

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