Green patches in Allahabad haven for anti-social elements
ALLAHABAD:Tourists and visitors, especially women, are vulnerable to security hazards at parks and ghats in the city as hardly any cops are deployed at these places. Drives launched by the anti-Romeo squads earlier were concentrated near schools, colleges and market places while ghats and most of the parks remained largely untouched.
Moreover, there are hardly any security arrangements for tourists at historical places, which are scattered around the remote areas of Allahabad, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh districts.
Sangam is among the holiest places, which is visited by Indian devotees and foreign tourists who come here to attain spiritual knowledge. Though water police guards and divers remain alert at Sangam Nose, VIP Ghat, Dashashwamegh Ghat and other ghats of the city, a lot more needs to be done for the security of tourists.
In wake of attack on a Swiss couple in Fatehpur Sikri, police patrolling has been stepped up at Sangam. But cops mostly prefer to rest at police outposts instead of keeping vigil at ghats, said citizens.
Allahabad witnesses increased footfall of foreign tourists during Magh Mela, but some places like Sangam and other historical places are visited by tourists all the year round.
Though no Fatehpur Sikri like incidents have been reported in Allahabad, a few cases of theft, snatchings and poisoning have happened during the last few years.
Around one and half years back, a Japanese tourist Abujawa was found lying unconscious in Georgetown area. He later informed the police that his guide, whom he had hired in Varanasi, lured him to Sangam and fed him with sedatives before fleeing with his belongings.
The gold chain of a German woman living in an ashram was snatched while she was going towards a ghat in Jhunsi area during Magh Mela a year ago.
There is little presence of cops in city parks. While regular drives are launched at Chandra Shekhar Azad Park by anti-Romeo squad, other parks (including Khusro Bagh) remain a hangout of anti-social elements.
Gamblers and miscreants smoking marijuana can be spotted at Khusro Bagh even in broad daylight. Locals, especially women, who go there for walks often have to face unpleasant situation as no cops are deployed there.