Elliot's Beach (popularly known as "Besant Nagar Beach" or "Bessie") is located in Besant Nagar, Chennai, India. It forms the end-point of the Marina Beach shore, and is named after Edward Elliot, onetime chief magistrate and superintendent of police, Madras. It has the Velankanni Church and the Ashtalakshmi Kovil nearby. In the colonial era, it was a fairly exclusive place limited to white people. As of 2016, there are many restaurants near the beach. There is a police outpost at the beach and the crowd is policed by means of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to prevent drowning mishaps. In 2010, there were 11 drowning cases reported off Elliots Beach. In August 2012, the government sanctioned two more all-terrain vehicles for patrolling the beach. A prominent landmark on this beach is the Karl Schmidt Memorial. The memorial is named after the Dutch sailor who lost his life in the process of saving others from drowning. Elliot's Beach is one of the cleanest and safest beaches in the city of Chennai. It is located towards the south of Marina Beach and is an extremely calm and tranquil place. As the beach does not offer much activity, it is ideal for long walks. Moreover, the ones who want to soak their feet in the splashing sea water and lose themselves completely in the arms of the nature, head on. Elliot's Beach is quite a hit amongst both the tourists as well as the natives of Tamil Nadu. The Ashtalakshmi Temple is around 20 years old and has modern style architecture. It is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and appears different from the rest of the Temples in South India.