Kanchi bus terminus turns crime hotspot

Kanchi bus terminus turns crime hotspot

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:27.10.2021

The Kancheepuram bus terminus which witnesses large numbers of passengers throughout day and night, is turning into the most unsafe zone for the passengers, especially women in the night.

In the past two days alone, three snatching incidents have been reported leaving the passengers in panic.

At 9.30pm on Monday, an unidentified man snatched cell phones of an elderly couple, Srinivasan and Banu, while two other women lost their expensive mobile phones to miscreants on Sunday. On Tuesday, a woman was relieved of ₹7,000 cash.

Passengers complain that anti-social elements lurk there as many of the shops remain closed and consume liquor besides committing crimes.

Commuters say, the main bus stand, though has lights, is not an ideal place for women and it inconveniences them to a great extent. Absence of CCTV cameras has come handy for the miscreants to to have afree run.

They said that more than half of the shops have yet to start functioning. “Since many shops are closed, antisocial elements have taken up space to consume alcohol in public,” says Prathiba, a commuter who takes bus from the terminus to Uthiramerur regularly.

"Except for two or three shops with CCTV cameras, no surveillance is provided by the police for safety. We can see men openly consuming liquor and creating ruckus. They attack people who try to question them," she said.

Even if a crime happens, police will be left clueless about the identity of the miscreants, she added.

Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam district president Bethraj who recently submitted a petition to the police highlighting the problems haunting the bus depot said that people are scared even during day time.

"We have sought them to increase the policing to keep the miscreants at bay, as it is one of the main bus stops," said Bethraj.

SORE POINT: The terminus witnessed three snatching incidents in the past two days alone leaving the passengers in panic. Passengers complain about lack of CCTV cameras and proper policing