New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS): On the night of December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was brutalised by five men and a juvenile in such a horrific manner that the whole country flared up in anger and outrage, came out in protests and forced the government to change rape laws.

Initially the police had nothing in their hands except the versions of the victims. So where did the first clue come from? It was when a team of investigators reached hotels at Mahipalpur, they got the first clue. It was the CCTV cameras that captured the moving white bus and provided the Delhi police its first lead. Later, all the accused were caught and justice done.

CCTV cameras have been crucial in not just identifying the accused in heinous crimes but also bringing them to justice in the court of law. The CCTV provides a first clue to the investigators who follow the lead and adds momentum in solving the case. Recently, many cases were solved by the police in Delhi and NCR with the help of the 'third eye'.

In a case of brutal assault on a 12-year-old girl in Delhi's Paschim Vihar this month, the police managed to arrest the accused only after scanning at least 100 CCTV footages.

In July this year, the brutal murder of a 25-year-old man was caught on CCTV camera in West Delhi, where he was stabbed to death allegedly by a juvenile and his two friends after the victim warned them not to perform bike stunts in Raghubir Nagar. The accused were later identified and nabbed.

Police also believe that many times the CCTV cameras act as a deterrent for criminals.

"CCTV has been very crucial in not just solving important cases but also acting as a deterrent for the criminals. From murders to burglaries, it has always aided the investigative agencies and helped the police to bring the criminals to justice," said senior police officers.

Even the hit-and-run case of Delhi police Traffic ACP Sanket Kaushik in Delhi's Rajokri on July 25 was solved after the cops scanned at least 15 CCTV footages. The accused tempo driver was arrested later.

Even in the most brutal gang wars in Delhi and NCR, much crucial evidence has been provided by CCTVs installed in the area.

Security cameras are invaluable to law enforcement agencies when they are trying to determine the accuracy of other types of evidence. Sometimes the authenticity of the witness statement is cross verified with the help of CCTV cameras installed.

"There have been cases when people try to mislead the police by manipulative theories about a murder or robbery or even theft. Sometimes they even have self-inflicted injuries to derail investigation. The CCTV cameras then play a crucial role in unearthing lies and manipulations and reach the actual culprit," said a senior police officer.

For police having both the security camera footage and other types of evidence including witness or victim statements build a much stronger case, which means higher conviction rates and greater consequences for people who commit crimes.