Visakhapatnam: The absence of police outposts and surveillance cameras at tourist spots in Vizag city has pushed crime rate up with some tourist spots proving to be risky to visitors during the week-days. On November 21, a 10-member gang intercepted a car and made good with around Rs 60,000 cash and valuables at Yarada beach in Vizag city. The same gang also threatened young lovers there and looted valuables from them. A couple was filmed in compromising position at Thotlakonda Buddhist spot by five persons who threatened them and extorted money and valuables claiming they were men-in-khaki.
While gangs have been blackmailing and threatening many visitors for money and valuables, a majority of the incidents were not being reporting to police authorities. A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said that there are no surveillance cameras at most of the tourist spots including Buddhist sites and other places. Local bodies have mounted CCTV cameras only at a few tourist spots in the city.
Most of the gangs engage in criminal activities on weekdays when the arrival of tourists is not too high at places like Yarada and Buddhist sites said K. Siva Kumar, a resident of MVP Colony. The absence of CCTV cameras and police personnel makes some places vulnerable to such offences and illegal activities.
“It is the duty of the authorities of Tourism Department, VUDA and GVMC to install surveillance cameras but they show no concern for the safety and security of tourists. Because of our staff crisis, it is difficult to set up police outposts at tourist spots,” said a senior police officer.
“Apart from the property offence, some gangs indulge in eve-teasing targeting the visitors. Though we have complained to the police over the phone, there was no immediate response from the cops,” said some tourists from West Bengal and Odisha. A tourist police station was proposed around a year back in Vizag city for protection of domestic and foreign tourists and to guide them to visit the places of interest. But the project is yet to take off due to lack of funds and other reasons. The tourists are being fleeced by private persons and there was no mechanism to resolve the grievances of the visitors.
