Complainants, who are mostly tribals, in Yelagiri Hills, which is part of Jawadhu Hills, near Tirupattur will no longer need to travel to Jolarpet to know the status of the cases filed by them as the police station on the hills will soon be upgraded to expedite investigation of cases filed there.
At present, the Yelagiri Hills station is attached to Jolarpet police station for investigation of all cases related to crime, law & order and traffic, because the Jolarpet station is led by a Circle Inspector, with more investigation powers, whereas the Yelagiri Hills station is headed by a sub-inspector.
As a result, complainants from 14 tribal villages have to travel to Jolarpet police station, around 20 km at the foothills, for any update of the cases filed by them. Around 13,000 tribals are inhabitants of the hills. “We have initiated the upgradation process of Yelagiri Hills station to ensure complainants get the status of the cases easily at the station in the hills,” Albert John, SP (Tirupattur), told The Hindu.
Inaugurated in 2000, the Yelagiri Hills station has only 15 police personnel, including three special sub-inspectors and women constables as against the sanctioned strength of 29 police personnel. Most of the crimes are related to burglary, chain snatching, cell phone robbery and manufacturing and sale of illicit arrack.
Traffic regulation remains a key challenge as Yelagiri Hills gets at least 10,000 to 12,000 tourists in the weekends and holidays from Vellore, Krishnagiri, Hosur, Tiruvannamalai and Bengaluru. The hills have 14 hairpin bends, making it risky for motorists to travel at high speed on the Yelagiri High Road that connects the foothills and tribal hamlets atop the hill.
To handle these challenges, upgrading the station is essential as it will help get more manpower for all three wings — crime, law and order and traffic. Also, a Circle Inspector has more powers to investigate and complete the cases within a specific timeframe. Eligibility for more funds is also another advantage as it helps to fund community-driven initiatives like creation of children’s park, lighting facilities at key traffic points, especially tourists joints in the hills. Allocation of more police personnel in the area will also help to step up vigil over 100 lodges and tourists rest houses in the hills, officials said.
