Chennai welcomed the New Year with an impressive record of safety, reporting no major crimes or serious accidents on the first night of 2025. This peaceful transition was credited to a combination of strategic, high-visibility policing and intermittent rainfall that kept reckless drivers off the streets.
Massive Police Presence Deters Criminal Activity
The Chennai police launched an extensive security operation, deploying nearly 19,000 personnel across the city starting Wednesday evening. To maintain a constant vigil, authorities set up illuminated shamianas and temporary kiosks at crucial tri-junctions and intersections. Each of these points was staffed by teams of male and female police officers along with Tamil Nadu Home Guards, closely monitoring both vehicle and pedestrian movement.
Barricades were installed across all 105 police station limits, with each jurisdiction operating three to four temporary police kiosks. Officers remained on continuous duty from 6 pm on December 31st until 6 am on January 1st. Furthermore, the police conducted vehicle checks at 425 temporary and static checkpoints on major arterial roads.
Innovative Patrol Strategies and Traffic Measures
An effective strategy involved dividing every police station area into four sectors for round-the-clock monitoring. Senior officials confirmed this acted as a strong deterrent against crimes like house break-ins. With many roads narrowed due to Chennai Metro Rail construction, four-wheeler patrols faced challenges. However, bike patrols proved highly effective, providing close surveillance in residential areas and inner streets where larger vehicles could not easily go.
Police also implemented several traffic control measures to prevent accidents. These included enforcing one-way systems, closing select flyovers at night, and placing barricades near beaches to stop people from entering the sea. Police assistance centres were established throughout the city for public aid.
Despite these efforts, minor traffic snarls were reported during evening hours on Anna Salai, East Coast Road (ECR), Ashok Nagar, and near the Koyambedu bus terminus. A few isolated attempts at bike stunts were noted on R K Salai, ECR, and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), but patrol teams quickly intervened and dispersed the riders.
A Sole Fatality Mars an Otherwise Peaceful Night
While the overall night was marked by safety, one tragic road accident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, resulting in a fatality. The incident took place within the Avadi police commissionerate limits, which otherwise reported a peaceful celebration with no major crimes or bike racing.
Police identified the victim as 30-year-old Yuvaraj. Reports state he was riding a motorcycle from Ayappakkam to Ambattur without a helmet when another two-wheeler collided with his vehicle. The impact threw Yuvaraj off his bike, and he subsequently struck a tractor, dying on the spot.
The Red Hills Traffic Investigation Wing has registered a case against the other biker, identified as Sriram. He has been charged under Sections 281 (rash driving) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.
The Tambaram police commissionerate also confirmed that no major crimes or bike racing incidents were reported in their jurisdiction during the New Year celebrations.
The 108 ambulance service in Chennai received 70 calls for assistance related to road accidents on New Year's Eve, which is higher than the average of 50 calls per day. This increase is attributed to the heightened alert and reporting during the festive deployment.
The coordinated efforts of thousands of police personnel, combined with proactive traffic management and the dampening effect of rain, successfully ensured that Chennai's citizens could ring in the New Year with security and peace.
