Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 7: In a significant move to curb criminal activities, the Mangaluru city police have extended their vigilance to residential apartment complexes, issuing strict directives to apartment associations to ensure no illegal activity is allowed within their premises.
The decision comes in the wake of several recent cases where criminals were found to be taking shelter in housing complexes. In the murder case of Suhas Shetty, the accused were reportedly residing in an apartment near Bajpe, where they allegedly conspired to carry out the crime. Similar instances of criminal plots being planned from within apartment buildings have surfaced in past investigations as well.
Mangaluru city (file photo)
City police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has urged apartment management committees to stay alert and ensure that their premises are not used for any unlawful activities.
It has also been found that in some smaller apartment complexes, unauthorized paying guest accommodations are operating without proper oversight. In many cases, property owners rent out flats to students and working professionals without maintaining records, making it difficult to track who is entering or leaving. Often, even visitor information is not recorded. Additionally, security personnel appointed in these complexes are sometimes migrant workers from other districts or states, raising further concerns about safety.
The police department has issued specific directives to apartment complexes to enhance security and monitoring. Visitors must not be allowed entry without proper verification, and their details should be recorded in a logbook. Security personnel are instructed to call and confirm the mobile numbers of visitors to ensure authenticity. Additionally, all complexes must have round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, and video footage should be stored for a minimum of 30 days.
In a chilling reminder of how residential spaces can be misused, it was revealed that in 2008, terrorist Yasin Bhatkal and his accomplice had resided in a private apartment in Attavar, Mangaluru. From that very flat, they prepared bombs and planned attacks across the country. Investigations later revealed that the bomb used in the 2013 Hyderabad Dilsukhnagar blast was manufactured in Mangaluru. Following the incident, Yasin’s associate Asadulla alias Haddi had also been living in the city. Shockingly, neither the neighbouring residents nor the apartment association had any knowledge of their presence.
The police are now determined not to let such oversights repeat and are pressing for strict adherence to security protocols in all housing complexes across the city.