CHENNAI: Chennai police have started using drones from Light House to MGR Memorial on Marina beach and also on Foreshore Estate early morning and evening since Monday to prevent crimes and to stop people from entering the sea.

Police said that two drones are being used over the stretch from morning 5am to 8 am and also in the evening between 5.30 pm to 8pm, when there is no rain. “It helps us for combing operations as we received information that anti-social elements are seeking safe haven on the Marina Beach during nights. Later in the morning, some of the suspects are targeting senior citizens and women who reach for morning walk, noted M S Bhaskar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Triplicane.

Apart from drones, eight patrol teams in two shifts are being deployed along the Kamarajar Stretch and the Marina service road in the mornings and evenings. The police personnel also frisk people sleeping on the beach and use facial recognition software, Facetagr, to identify suspects with previous cases. The drones are used to identify offenders who hide from the patrolling police.

On Thursday, ten different groups of people, mostly college students, who attempted to enter the beach were tracked by the drones and the patrol teams were rushed to stop them, police said.

Police are also using public address systems attached to the drones to create awareness to the public visiting the beach.

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