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CHENNAI: Two days after police arrested 17 people for the gang-rape of a 11-year-old school girl at an apartment complex in Ayanavaram, women there have turned guards , junking the services of the security firm whose employees were tasked with the job until now.

The residents welfare association of the complex, which houses at least 300 apartments, has decided that 10-member teams of women will guard the complex in eight-hour shifts, a resident told TOI on condition of anonymity. The decision to take over the guarding work by the women residents at the complex will be temporary until, the office-bearers are seriously looking for a potential private firm to scrutinize them, said a police officer.

“We have made it madatory for all visitors to enter their address and mobile phone numbers in a ledger,” said the resident. A phone link at the entry and exit gates helps the ‘guards’ call the residents concerned and check to ensure the right person entered, the resident added.

An officer of the jurisdictional police station said the services of all employees of private agency FOCUS UKFS, in charge of security, gardening, cleaning and other jobs in the complex, had been terminated after the arrests. Six to eight men in each shift had been monitoring the 15 towers comprising 300 houses with at least 120 houses vacant.

After the girl’s father lodged a complaint on July 15, police swung into action and apprehended 18 people in connection with the rape case. While 22 men were allegedly involved in the crime, police have retained one of the arrested men in custody to help nab the four suspects who have gone underground with their family members.

