A rise in incidents of theft across the Balurghat town has prompted the police to write to the local civic body, seeking immediate repairs of the CCTV cameras that are defunct.
Sources said that despite multiple incidents, the police have managed to solve only a handful of cases, while most remain unsolved. Probe is hindered by defunct CCTV cameras as the police find it tough to identify criminals without video footage.
According to sources, nearly 30 CCTV cameras — originally installed by Balurghat Municipality and handed over to the police — are currently out of order.
Even cameras located at key points, such as the Balurghat bus stand, have been non-functional for over a month, making it difficult for police to identify culprits.
A recent theft at a temple near the Balurghat taxi and bus stand has exposed the urgency of the issue.
Although a CCTV camera was installed right in front of the temple, it was not working at the time, leaving investigators without crucial footage.
Authorities at the Balurghat police station, sources said, have already sent a formal letter to the municipality requesting immediate repair of the gadget.
“Investigations of multiple thefts are underway. We have informed the Balurghat Municipality about malfunctioning CCTV cameras and have requested those be repaired as soon as possible,” said Bikram Prasad, the deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) of South Dinajpur.
Ashok Mitra, the civic chairman, confirmed receiving the letter from the police.
“We have already informed the authorised agency responsible for maintenance. The faulty cameras will be repaired shortly,” he said.
Municipal sources revealed that around five years back, around 140 CCTV cameras were installed across Balurghat town under the green city project. These cameras were later handed over to the police for monitoring.
Initially, surveillance was conducted from Balurghat police station, but it is now controlled from the district control room.
But of these CCTV cameras, only 110 apparently work at present.
Following Durga Puja, Balurghat town has seen several thefts, including break-ins at multiple shops in Noltahar More and Dhaul Haat, as well as burglaries in residential areas such as Bhatpara, Chakbhrigu, and Vivekananda Pally.
Even the residence of a CAPF staff member in Vivekanandapally was looted.
Frequent thefts have raised serious concerns among residents, with questions being raised about police efficiency and urban security.
“We suspect most of these thefts are being committed by youths under the influence of drugs. What helps criminals is that many areas either lack CCTV cameras or have cameras that no longer function. For the safety of residents, all cameras must be repaired immediately, and police patrols and surveillance should be increased,” said Manoj Chowdhury, a schoolteacher.