Cops seek 400 Home Guards, three SRPF companies; gunmen for Mayor, civic chief

For today's bandh, city police ask for reinforcements

Cops seek 400 Home Guards, three SRPF companies; gunmen for Mayor, civic chief

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The city police have taken a serious note of the bandh called today by the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite their strength of 7,000 police officials, the city police have sought an additional police force of three State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) companies and 400 homeguards.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ashok Dhivare said, "The entire city police will be deployed in the city to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. There would be Bandobast at fixed points. Additional patrolling teams, quick response teams and state reserve police force teams will be on their toes on Tuesday."

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Makarand Ranade said, "Calling for a bandh is illegal as per the Supreme Court directive and hence people should refrain from participating, provoking and supporting the bandh. We have taken preventive action against the anti-social elements and issued notices to all concerned political leaders to ensure law and order."

"Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal and Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade have been provided with armed security for 24 hours at their bungalows. Additional mobile patrolling squads and beat marshals are being deployed.

Heavy deployment of police personnel in sensitive areas like Kothrud and Warje, where violence has been reported during the previous bandh call, will be done," said DCP Ranade.

Earlier on Sunday night, Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe and 32 other protestors were detained and released from outside the Lal Mahal premises when the PMC was in process of removing the statue of Dadoji Konddeo. In response, Shiv Sena and BJP took out a morcha from the Lal Mahal to the PMC building on Monday afternoon.
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After the morcha, while violence was reported at the PMC building, the office of the Sambhaji Brigade organisation at Navi Peth was ransacked.

Commenting on the violence, DCP Ranade said, "Action will be taken against violent protesters. We are analysing the video footage as the suspects can be easily identified through it."

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