The half-naked body of a middle-aged woman was found on the sands of Marina beach in Chennai on Sunday morning. Her body bore injuries on the neck and chest. According to reports, the body was found near the Chennai Corporation Swimming pool by morning walkers, who noticed dogs tugging at some clothes on the beach.
On taking a closer look, they found the woman’s body and immediately alerted the Anna Square police. The police recovered the body and sent it to Royapettah Government Hospital for an autopsy. The police also allegedly recovered a mobile phone, which is believed to belong to the woman.
A police officer told Times of India that as per their preliminary inquiries, the woman was a sex worker and was last seen walking with four autorickshaw drivers to the unlit area near the swimming pool, where she was found dead.
The police have registered a case and have formed special teams to nab the suspects. The lack of CCTV cameras at the spot has made it difficult for the police to zero in on the suspects.
Insufficient lighting cause safety concerns
The lack of lights on the beach has raised safety concerns. “Over the last six months, crimes have increased. After 6 pm, sex workers loiter on the beach. After dusk, the regular visitors leave the beach and many anti-social activities take place in the deserted parts of the beach,” a shopkeeper told The Hindu.
Many other shopkeepers have also complained about the anti-social elements, who often follow the sex workers to the beach, causing inconvenience to the visitors. Some walkers, who visit the beach regularly for their exercises, also complained that the lights installed on the beach road rarely work and that the police patrolling is insufficient in the area, which gives rise to such crimes.
Reports also added that as the night wears on, anti-social activities, like drug peddling and soliciting customers for sex, become a common sight on the beach.