Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A. Amalraj addressing students at an awareness programme in St. Thomas Arts College.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As many as 346 people have been killed and 2,420 injured in road accidents in Chennai city so far this year, Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A. Amalraj said on Thursday.Addressing college students at an awareness programme on cyber offences and drug abuse at St. Thomas Arts College, Mr. Amalraj said road safety was a concern for everyone as no one was immune to road accidents.“Everyone uses the roads every day and therefore, nobody is exceptional when it comes to road accidents,” he said, stressing the need for public cooperation to reduce fatalities.While traffic police personnel were regulating traffic and booking cases for violations, enforcement alone could not prevent accidents, he said. He urged people, particularly youngsters, to strictly follow traffic rules and wear helmets.“This year alone, we have booked more than two lakh cases against two-wheeler riders for not wearing helmets. Despite enforcement, many people continue to ride without helmets. If everyone takes a vow to follow traffic rules and wear helmets, the number of accidents can be reduced substantially,” he said.Talking on cybercrime, Mr. Amalraj said people in Chennai had lost around ₹370 crore to cyber frauds so far this year. He said people were losing their hard-earned money either due to greed or because they were deceived by fraudsters.“Digital arrest is nothing but a scam,” he said, urging people to remain vigilant against cyber offences and not fall for promises of quick money.The Commissioner also expressed concern over the growing drug menace and said it was affecting people across age groups. Referring to the recent death of a 23-year-old youth due to drug overdose, he warned against the dangerous practice of consuming painkiller tablets through syringes.The police were taking a series of measures to curb drug abuse, including arresting offenders, detaining them under the Goondas Act and securing convictions through courts, he said. He called for greater public cooperation in the fight against drugs. Published - September 10, 2026 08:29 pm IST
