Community funding for cameras on Besant Nagar beach

With the crowds thronging the beach, especially during weekends and festivals, the residents living close to the hotspot, want increased surveillance. Prof V Chandrasekhar, President, Senior Citizens Group of Besant Nagar, said that this increase in surveillance will help the residents, especially senior citizens. 

“The CCTV cameras installed on Besant Nagar Beach are dysfunctional. The wires have been cut. Since there is a huge crowd, chain snatching and eve teasing are reported frequently. In case of events like Velankanni Church festival around the first week of September, thousands of pilgrims from all over TN throng the beach. We are willing to fund the installation of CCTV cameras on the beach but our written request for permission from the Commissioner of Police has not been granted yet,” said the resident, who lives close to the beach. 

Suresh Murthy, who runs an optical store on the road leading to the beach, said he installed a CCTV camera outside his store. “Not only the beach, but also the surrounding streets should have CCTV cameras with a street view for surveillance. Apartment complexes should undertake this in their building while shops can do the same outside their premises,” he said. 

When contacted, a police official said that the Besant Nagar beach is being monitored using 360-degree zoom cameras round the clock.