CCTV cameras from police stations in Chennai will be connected to a central network for improved monitoring and collection of evidence, besides greater accountability. In subsequent phases, cameras from police stations across the state will be integrated into one common network. In June 2020, P Jeyaraj and his son Beniks J died in custody at the Sathankulam police station in Tuticorin district.
However, police officers probing the custodial deaths or advocates in the case were not able to get evidence as the CCTV footage had been erased. CCTV footage from many police stations are not shared with the public even under the Right to Information Act. The decision by the home department to have a unified network will prevent similar occurrences in the future, officials said.
Since January this year, a district-level oversight committee headed by Chennai collector Rashmi Siddharth Zagade has been reviewing CCTV footage in 145 police stations across Chennai. According to police, each of these stations have installed six CCTV cameras.
The exact locations of the cameras and their functional status will be disclosed by the police stations. The committee will also oversee the installation, monitoring and maintenance of CCTV facilities.
The video feed from different cameras across city police stations would be digitally transmitted and managed by the centralised network. These feeds can be accessed remotely by authorised police personnel in the state headquarters and control rooms. Besides storing data for up to 90 days, policemen will be able to monitor live feed from all stations.
