Pune police opens door to SB sleuths

SLEUTHS from Special Branch (SB) of the Pune Police, who till now went unnoticed, will now be know to all. The police have enlisted names of nine officials (see box) with their cell numbers for the public to provide any unusual activities that take place in the city.

Exposed?

Although Ravindra Sengaonkar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (SB), was convinced that this would enhance inflow of information to preempt any act of terror, some members of the intelligence community felt this would expose them.

"The common man sometimes stumbles upon information which can be of great significance to us," Sengaonkar told MiD DAY. He felt that citizens do not know what to do with such information and forget about it. "If they know who is to be contacted, I am sure they will not shy away from their responsibilities," he added.

However, when asked if this didn't expose his sleuths to anti-nationals in the city and that they could become sitting targets for them, he replied, "We all are exposed. My cell number is there with all the foreign nationals in the city. Am I not exposed?" he said.

But a sleuth from his own branch felt that no intelligence unit would do this.

This has been done in the backdrop of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The police wants people to inform SB officials if they see any suspected person.

The police also announced that if citizens help in solving crimes like terrorist operations, outfits, thefts, dacoity, house break and vehicle thefts they will be rewarded if the information provided by the individual turns out to be true.

The officers you can call...

Bhanupratap Barge (PI) 9423006623

Satish Devare (PI) 9860910001

Shashikant Rajhans (PI) 9923492990

Pramod Honrao (PI) 9765305252

Chandrakant Gudange (PI) 9923411096

Shingade (API) 9923485063

Ashok Khandare (API) 9923799988

Amarnath Waghmode (API) 9823302050

Ashok Zhole (Police Naik) 9370142395