Police identify ‘shadow areas’ in Kozhikode city

Newly appointed District Police Chief (Kozhikode City) G. Jaidev on Monday (March 2) said nearly 40 ‘shadow areas’ have been identified across the city as part of efforts to strengthen patrolling and enhance public safety.

Addressing the media on the revised patrol routes, Mr. Jaidev said the locations, spread across various police station limits, were mapped based on public feedback. He clarified that the exercise was purely preventive and that the identified areas were neither crime hotspots nor safe havens for criminals.

On measures to curb drug trafficking, Mr. Jaidev said the growing involvement of youngsters and repeat offenders in narcotics cases remained a matter of concern. He added that special focus would be placed on preventing the illegal inter-district and inter-State movement of drugs.

“Despite intensified surveillance, public inputs to track suspected drug trafficking remain minimal. Most cases are being detected directly by the anti-narcotics squad or the police through independent surveillance,” he said, stressing that greater public cooperation was crucial to dismantling discreet supply chains.

Mr. Jaidev also outlined plans to expand surveillance camera coverage in the city. He said investigation teams had been instructed not to seize hard disks from private surveillance systems, but instead copy relevant footage onto pen drives for inquiry. The earlier practice of seizing hard disks had discouraged many residents from installing cameras or extending coverage to public areas, he observed.

On traffic enforcement, Mr. Jaidev said stringent action would be taken against illegal parking in restricted public spaces. He noted that certain vehicle owners were habitual offenders, leaving vehicles in unauthorised locations for extended periods. “Such violations will not be tolerated,” he said.

In addition to field-level enforcement, online legal action based on surveillance footage has also been intensified. Encroachments on footpaths and violations of free-left rules will be addressed through on-the-spot action, he added.

Referring to the additional charge assigned to Deputy Commissioner of Police Padam Singh to strengthen traffic regulation, Mr. Jaidev said the impact of the latest measures would become evident in due course.