Chennai: But for a vigilant morning walker, one more person could have died in sea near Thiruvanmiyur beach on Wednesday morning.
A woman who ran into the sea there was rescued by a good Samaritan.
Locals and morning walkers said that there were no police in the police booth, despite hundreds of people thronging the beach daily morning and evening. The incident happened on Wednesday early morning.
Perumal, a tender coconut vendor who was on a morning walk there noticed the woman walking into the giant waves and alerted fellow walkers who saved her.
The woman, a native of Maharashtra was staying at a rented accommodation in Neelankarai and was working in a beauty parlour in the city, police sources said. The woman broke down after the public saved her and didn’t share the reason for her attempt. She was later handed over to the police, who counseled her.
“The woman seemed to be suffering from depression. She had attempted suicide twice before,” a police officer said.
Meanwhile, residents and walkers had strong words for lack of police patrol in the beach, which makes walkers feel unsafe. “Hundreds of people hit the beach every morning and evening. There is a police booth. But, cops are not seen regularly. Is security meant only for VIPs?” asked M Divya (28), a resident of Kalakshetra colony who visits the beach often.
Police sources said that Wednesday’s was a one off day as strength from all police stations had to be deployed for the anti-Neet protests in the city.
“The booth is manned during the day and the evenings and we restrict entry to the beach during late nights,” a police official said.
