Couples visiting the beach were often targetted by eve-teasers and thieves while residents complained of people gathering to drink and do drugs under cover of darkness
Dadar police patrol the now-illuminated beach on Friday evening. Pic/Bipin Kokate
After perennial cases of mobile theft, bag pulling, eve-teasing and drug use at Dadar Chowpatty, the police installed 25 floodlights and 20 CCTV cameras at the beach in February. The area is now completely illuminated at night and is being monitored, resulting in zero complaints.
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According to Dadar police, thefts and eve-teasing were common at the beach, with most of the targets being couples who frequent the place. Some people would drink alcohol and do drugs at night.
According to the police’s data, the beach saw nine reported crimes in 2018, seven in 2019 and seven in 2020. The cases include drug use, eve-teasing, one case under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) and one rape case. This, however, does not reflect the actual number of crimes as many choose not to file FIRs.
“When couples choose a place to sit and talk at the beach, thieves steal their bags or mobile phones. They come to the police station, but when we ask them to register an FIR, they back out. The couples fear that if an FIR is filed, their family will come to know that they met on the beach,” an officer said.
“Some residents had also complained about couples getting intimate on the beach when it gets dark. After installing the lights, these complaints have stopped,” another officer said.
Mrityunjay Hiremath, senior inspector, Dadar, said, “We installed 25 floodlights and 20 CCTV cameras in February this year. There have been no complaints from the area since then.” DCP Pranay Ashok told mid-day, “While the aim is controlling crime on the beach, it would also help in ensuring coastal security.”
Residents speak
Anand Dandekar, a resident of Shivaji Park, said they used to be afraid of going to the beach at night. “There used to be gatherings of people drinking and doing drugs at night. But that has stopped ever since the lights were put.”
Rohan Sawant, a local who was walking on the beach, said, “Amid the lockdown, visitors have decreased here and people took advantage of that to drink and use drugs. The illumination has helped stop that.”
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