Taking no chances: CC cameras on display at a shop in Visakhapatnam .   | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam

 Enquiries pouring in from residents, says a shop owner

Post the sensational murder of businessman Vikram Dhamija and attack on his wife and his driver at their apartment on Beach Road area, there is sharp increase in footfalls at the firms selling security gadgets and security agencies.

The businessman was attacked last Monday afternoon by six hired assailants from Jharkhand, who were given the contract to extort money from the deceased by manager of the apartment Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy. Though Murthy and two others have been arrested, the gang of Jharkhand is yet to be caught. But the murder has created panic among residents, especially in the posh localitiess, and a number of them have approached the security firms to install different types of security gadgets in their complex.

Ms. Sujatha, owner of a firm selling the gadgets, said the business has improved over the last two years, as awareness among the people have increased, but in the last one week after the murder of the businessman, it has shot up by about 40 %.

Apart from CC (close circuit) cameras other gadgets such as video calling bell and video phones are on demand and as the enquiries have suddenly shot up there is a shortage in the market, as of now, she said.

The CC cameras available in the market are basically are of two varieties: the HD (high definition) version and the IP (Internet protocol) version. While in the case of HD cameras the cost varies from ₹ 2000 to ₹ 15000 per camera, in the case of IP cameras in ranges from ₹ 3000 to ₹ 20,000.

According to Mr. Srinivas, who has been dealing with security gadgets for the last one decade, the cameras come in a pack of four and they multiply by four, as the recorders support a minimum of four cameras and again multiplies by four.

A basic set of four in the case of the HD variety may range from ₹ 10,000 to ₹ 22,000 and for IP it may range from ₹ 15,000 to ₹ 30,000, said Ms. Sujatha. Coming to the memory the basic four-camera HD version has a memory of 1 TB (terabyte) with a capacity to store for 25 days, in case of IP it is TB for 10 days.

But both security gadget sellers said a lot depends on the positioning of the cameras. “Apart from positioning, the lighting factor in the cellar or corridors should also be considered,” said Mr. Srinivas.

DCP (Law and Order) K. Fakeerappa said it is high time that people realise the security aspect and abide by the AP Public Safety Act-2013, the implementation of which is still a long way to go.

The security agencies that supply security guards also have been receiving unprecedented enquiries in the last few days. “We have been receiving fresh enquiries as well as from our old customers, who are demanding new and young guards,” said a owner of a security agency.

[“Source-thehindu”]