Madurai City Police are using drone cameras in shopping areas with heavy crowds for effective crime prevention and close surveillance .
Commissioner of Police Davidson Devasirvatham said here on Saturday that they had been using drone cameras since Friday in the shopping areas ahead of Deepavali so as to keep an eye on pickpockets and bag lifters. A control room had been established at B1 police station to monitor the images received from the drone. If there was suspicion on any person or object, the control room would alert plainclothes men and women, who would be mingling with the crowd, to check them out. The drone cameras could zero-in on a particular subject and, if needed, the images could be circulated among police personnel who were on crowd control duty. The pictures were clear and the drone could be operated up to a height of 500 metres.
The Commissioner said that , through public address system, the shoppers were also cautioned against tricksters who divert attention to steal valuables. Periyar bus stand, West Masi Street, South Masi Street, Vilakkuthoon and Kamarajar Salai were the main areas under surveillance.