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Eye in the sky: CCTVs are important today

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Archana Dalmia
Archana DalmiaJan 16, 2016 | 16:07

Eye in the sky: CCTVs are important today

There have been many scholastic critiques of CCTV cameras as invasive state tools used by the government to oppress society, including George Orwell’s prophetic book 1984 where every waking and sleeping hour of residents, in a socialist society, was documented on CCTV and fed to government intelligence.

While we do understand the importance of critiquing "intelligence" that finds its way into the lives of people, the CCTV appears to be an angel in disguise.

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It captures tales of urban dystopia that have so far been hidden from view or left to imagination of writers like Orwell to postulate over and Ekta Kapoor to capitalise on.

Crimes

In a shocking reversal of the saas-bahu dynamic, the footage of housewife Sangeeta Jain brutally beating her 70-year-old mother-in-law in Bijnor, UP, has gone viral.

While the case does appear to be a complex one, since Sangeeta had registered a complaint against her husband for dowry harassment according to SHO, Nehtaur, Chandra Kant Yadav, the brutality of the act is quite appalling. The mother-in-law appears to be wrapped in a large quilt and does not initially respond to the blows inflicted on her, after which the daughter-in-law mounts a more vicious attack.

There can be no doubt in the minds of those who watched this video that no matter what the provocation, the act is a heinous one. The scales of justice are definitely tipped against Sangeeta, no matter what her backstory might be.

Waking up Friday morning to the footage of a gang war in Jodhpur reminds me, once again, that we are indeed living in a digital age and the new "Robo-Cop" is the CCTV camera — in fact, there is a joke trending these days that one does not have to buy a ticket and watch Gangs of Wasseypur when the real thing is available on YouTube. 

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This recent incident in Jodhpur has youngsters vandalising cars by ramming into them and breaking their windscreens while firing guns into the air. None of the perpetrators have been caught, unlike the incident in Rohtak which happened two years ago. The Rohtak incident saw seven men getting injured and one killed in an out-and-out gang war over property.

The police were able to track down the killers with the help of the CCTV footage.

Evidence

The incidents where CCTV has brought to light crimes that would have otherwise been difficult to prove, are in fact on the rise — only recently, in July, the footage of a female tutor mercilessly thrashing a three-year-old boy was caught on a CCTV camera in Kolkata. The parents of the child were able to lodge a complaint and bring the perpetrator to justice.

In fact there have been several instances where teachers have been caught on camera beating up children and in some cases even molesting them. This is not unique to India. In fact, there have been several international YouTube videos of molestation and rape. The criminals have been brought to justice because their crimes were caught on CCTV.

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Take for instance, the sensational footage of a girl being molested by a man at a McDonald’s outlet in Mount Washington, Kentucky, that was aired by ABC News. The teenager was first stripsearched by a female assistant manager, who later called in her fiancée, a 43-year-old man, who continued to interrogate the girl while she was dressed only in an apron. He was instructed by someone on the phone to spank her and molest her.

Justice

Even more shocking was the fact that the woman, Donna Summers, left the girl in that state, alone, despite her pleas for help. The matter came to light recently and was discussed on ABC at prime time. No doubt, there is always the fear that such sensitive footage, which captures rape and molestation, might be viewed in a vicarious and salacious manner by people.

In fact, some comments left on the YouTube video by viewers were unsympathetic and shocking. However, given the number of instances where the CCTV footage has stepped in and thrown light on various misdemeanors and, in some instances, shocking truths, I would have to disagree with Orwell a little bit.

Sometimes it’s good to have an eye in the sky and in times of such urban dystopia, the CCTV is doing more good than harm.

(Courtesy Mail Today.)

Last updated: January 16, 2016 | 16:07
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