New Delhi: Amid repeated incidents of theft and other criminal activities a village in Karnataka decided to install CCTV cameras in and around the village resulting in decline in crime and improved monitoring of accidents.
Mummigatti village in Dharwad district, with a population of around 12,000, lies along the Pune–Bengaluru National Highway 4 and has faced recurring issues of illegal activities by passersby and outsiders. Fed up with this the gram panchayat approved a village-wide CCTV surveillance project.
High-definition cameras installed at key locations
A total of 22 high-definition cameras have been installed at key locations at a cost of about Rs 7.5 lakh. The system allows footage backup of up to one month and is monitored from the gram panchayat office.
Panchayat members conducted a field survey to identify installation points and also consulted officials at Garag police station before implementation. Authorities said the project was funded through local tax collections and was taken up after meeting other basic infrastructure needs.
Crime against women, house thefts decline
Residents say incidents such as harassment of women and house thefts have declined since the surveillance network became operational. The village is also considered accident-prone, with several hit-and-run cases reported earlier. Officials said CCTV footage is expected to help identify offenders and vehicles involved in accidents.
The initiative has emerged as a model for rural surveillance.