In the wake of a continuous spike in shooting incidents and extortion threats targeting affluent residents in Chandigarh, the local police force has formulated a comprehensive strategy to establish a dual security ring along the city borders. According to the new plan, 19 new police checkposts will be set up along the boundaries shared with Punjab and Haryana, with a targeted timeline of roughly a month and a half to make them operational. Additionally, locations for installing around 2000 new CCTV cameras across the city have already been finalized and marked.
The primary focus behind setting up these new checkposts and camera networks is to keep a close watch on suspicious individuals, vehicles, and movements, while also effectively tracking down escape routes used by criminals following any untoward incident. Prior to this initiative, during a Phosfac meeting held last Friday, local citizens had openly expressed their deep concerns to police and administrative officials regarding the deteriorating law and order situation and rising crime rates in the city.
Given that Chandigarh shares its borders with Punjab and Haryana, a massive volume of traffic commutes in and out of the city every single day. The apprehension that wrongdoers might easily slip out of the city limits after committing a crime makes these border areas critically important for law enforcement. Vehicles passing through these new checkposts and suspicious activities will be closely monitored, allowing for immediate inspection and action whenever necessary. Senior police officials have clarified that the core objective of these checkposts is not to inconvenience regular commuters, but rather to intensify surveillance on suspicious elements, particularly during nighttime hours when increased police presence will reinforce security in border zones.
Expanding surveillance with two thousand new cameras
Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur stated that sites for installing nearly 2000 additional CCTV cameras have been successfully identified throughout the city. These chosen locations encompass high-traffic zones as well as areas deemed sensitive from a criminal perspective. These cameras will play a crucial role in tracking suspicious vehicles and people, and the resulting footage will serve as a vital piece of evidence during investigations following any criminal offense.
Emphasizing prevention and post-incident tracking
During the recent meeting, Home Secretary Mandeep Brar also deliberated extensively on the city's overall security framework and measures to suppress criminal activities. Emphasis was laid on increasing police visibility alongside leveraging modern technology. The deployment of 19 new checkposts and 2000 cameras is considered an integral part of this broader security roadmap, which will tighten monitoring across major entry and exit points as well as interior neighborhoods.
It is worth noting that several alarming incidents have recently rattled Chandigarh. Not long ago, a medical store cashier was shot dead in Sector 11. In another incident, a bomb was hurled at a club in Sector 26, while a grenade was tossed at the BJP office located in Sector 37. Such recurring episodes, coupled with extortion demands by gangsters, have left local businessmen deeply distressed and raised serious questions regarding police preparedness and effectiveness.
