Coimbatore: The Coimbatore City Police conducted unexpected raids at various places in the city last night aiming to bring down crime rates. In the storming action, about 53 persons against who arrest warrants were issued, were caught and produced in different courts.

Out them, 44 persons were given arrest warrants in law and order cases and the rest in crime cases. About 63 persons involved in crimes previously were also checked last night. On the directions of City Police Commissioner K Periaiah, a history sheet had been created for criminals involved in crimes in the past five to six years and they were checked. Periaiah said, “These checks will continue. Barricades have been put at 12 places under the city limit and all incoming and outgoing vehicles will be under surveillance.”

He said surveillance cameras had been placed at these check points. “About 154 hotels were also checked last night as part of the storming action,” he added.

In the vehicle-checking, about 2,162 cases were registered under the Motor Vehicles Act. Of these, 54 were for drunk driving, 61 for speeding, 44 for overloading in vehicles, 976 for riding without helmets and 208 for driving without fastening seat belts. Several cases were also registered under Tamil Nadu Gambling, Tamil Nadu Prohibition, NDPS and Copyrights Act.

City Police Commissioner said that similar raids will be conducted in future as well to bring down the drime  rates in the city. He also said that he will be  meeting with members of different residential associations and  will be  advising them on importance of installing surveillance cameras and community policing. “Residents themselves can prepare a routine and they can go around their neighbourhood for few hours in the night. This itself will prevent criminals from entering that area”, said the Commissioner.