Mumbai News: Lack Of CCTV Footage Hits Police Investigations

Mumbai: Lack of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras or faulty cameras are hampering police investigations. In two recent incidents – one in which a man disappeared near Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and the other in which a Class 11 student died in a hit-and-run incident on Wadala Bridge – unavailability of footage has hit the probe.

In the second case, there is no trace of the motorcyclist who knocked down the girl, who was then run over by a truck.

In the first incident, which is being investigated by the Bhandup police, a man, identified as Harsh Arora, 43, left home for a walk on the morning of October 30. According to the police, Arora was seen walking towards Airoli via Fortis Hospital in Mulund. He proceeds towards the junction at JVLR, going towards Bhandup Village on the service road. Arora then disappears.

Municipality’s responsibility to maintain CCTVs: Police

The CCTV cameras in the vicinity do not work, and it is very hard to establish where Arora went, a police source said, adding that it is the municipality’s responsibility to maintain the cameras.

“There are always some CCTVs that are not functioning. It’s not like we haven’t alerted the civic body. When they do repair the damaged one, another one malfunctions, leaving blind spots,” said the source.

Arora’s family members have questioned the negligent situation at two of the city’s longest highways – Eastern Express Highway and JVLR. The police, on the other hand, blame the civic body, or in some cases, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

Riya Gupta, 19, who died on October 30, was returning home from her college via the Wadala Bridge. Gupta was trying to cross the road when a speeding Enfield Bullet struck her, causing her to fall in the middle of the road. In no seconds, a BEST bus ran over her, with its rear tyre killing her instantly.

Although the bus driver did not even realise what had happened, he halted the vehicle and waited. The motorcyclist, however, fled.

The Matunga police, who are investigating the case, are yet to trace the motorcyclist. According to them, the place where the incident took place is a blind spot. There is one camera at the start of the bridge. Footage from that camera shows a Bullet among numerous vehicles, but its licence plate is not discernible.

The police are currently checking the cameras at other locations adjoining the bridge, another source said.