Live CCTV footage
at police stations
Thieves reportedly broke into five shops in Panaji on Thursday which rattled local residents and the business community. It is learnt that the Panaji police have arrested three suspects at Kolhapur in Maharashtra. The burglars did a recce to survey the area and plan their robbery, the CCTV of which has gone viral on the Social Media.
Be that as it may, CCTV systems are indispensable tools which capture crucial visual evidence in crime investigation. Goa police have mapped around 7,000 CCTV cameras at private houses and establishments across more than 1,300 locations. However the government has not enforced any regulation requiring the sharing of such footage, leaving it to the discretion of the property owners.
It must be said that CCTV footage can be useful in detecting crimes. However live CCTV footage can prevent crimes. Most cameras have a web-based interface that allows one to access the live feed serving as vigilant electronic eyes. Real time CCTV footage when available at the police stations can go a long way in quick action by the cops in preventing burglaries and other crimes. If the CCTV footage of the recce conducted by the thieves at Panaji was available at the police station live, the burglaries could have been prevented. Real time monitoring of vehicle movement can also be used in order to apprehend traffic violators. Live CCTV footage can play a vital role in preventing crimes while recorded footage is used for detecting crime.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Railways and
luggage theft
Section 100 of the Railway Act says the Railways cannot be blamed for the passengers losing their luggage "unless it is proved that the loss is due to negligence or misconduct on its or its employees" part.
The Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had earlier held that the Railways cannot get blanket protection if the passenger whose money or valuables have been stolen is able to prove negligence or misconduct on the part of the Railways.
Recently, the Delhi High Court has ruled that the passenger was responsible for the safety of his luggage and the Railways was not liable for any theft unless there was misconduct or negligence on the part of its officials. The absence of the attendant or conductor per se cannot mean negligence unless the " coach was left open for someone unauthorised to enter the coach".
Petitioner's case was that he lost his valuables because the attendant was fast asleep and the conductor was missing. But there was no record before the court that the theft could not have been committed of by a co-passenger. Preventing unauthorised entry into coaches and ensuring the coach latches are secured at night, and overall vigilance are an AC conductor's responsibilities.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Finally justice
after extradition
Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s is considered a significant development in India's efforts to bring those responsible for the 26/11 attacks to justice. Earlier, he has been arrested by the US in 2009 for his alleged link with David Headley, the LeT operative tasked by Pakistan to carry out the reconnaissance for target in Mumbai by LeT terrorists. His trial in India will focus on his alleged role in facilitating the attacks and collecting information on handlers involved in.
In a chilling experience, ten terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) infiltrated the city on November 26, 2008 launching simultaneous attacks at multiple high-profile locations of Mumbai. The siege lasted over 60 hours leaving 166 dead and over 300 injured. The attackers were heavily armed, used satellite phones, GPS, and had handlers in Pakistan guiding them in real-time.
The prolonged standoff exposed the serious gaps in urban security and intelligence coordination. India’s efforts to expose Pakistan’s terror activities will receive a boost if investigators can make a strong case against Rana compelling him to spill the beans. Finally, Rana's extradiction is a significant step in the quest for justice and closure for the victims of the 26/11 attacks and their families.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
Right from the
Nazi playbook
Books on the Holocaust, histories of feminism, civil rights and racism, and Maya Angelou’s famous autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” were among the nearly 400 volumes removed from the U.S. Naval Academy’s library this week after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the school to get rid of ones that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The move marks another step in the Trump administration’s far-reaching effort to purge so-called DEI content from federal agencies, including policies, programs, online and social media postings and curriculum at schools.
In addition to Angelou’s award-winning tome, the list includes “Memorializing the Holocaust,” which deals with Holocaust memorials; “Half American,” about African Americans in World War II; “A Respectable Woman,” about the public roles of African American women in 19th century New York; and “Pursuing Trayvon Martin,” about the 2012 shooting of the Black 17-year-old in Florida that raised questions about racial profiling.
We are seeing a similar purge and falsification of past history in India by the Sanghis who want to paint our country as one homogeneous Akhand Bharat ruled by valiant Hindu kings who made the Mughals bite the dust in every war fought in the past. The first thing the Nazis used to do after invading countries in WW1 and WW2 was to burn all historical tomes, scientific manuals and research material so that the chapter of Nazi supremacy could be written afresh. We have entered the same era now, scary times.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim