No policemen to guard district judge office

As all cops are on Palkhi Yatra bandobast duty, the doorframe metal detector at the entrance of the district judge's office lies unattended; people are walking in and out of the office building unhindered

As all cops are on Palkhi Yatra bandobast duty, the doorframe metal detector at the entrance of the district judge's office lies unattended; people are walking in and out of the office building unhindered

Yesterday, on the onset of Palkhi, the three-day festival of the warkaris, MiD DAY discovered that the doorframe metal detector (DFMD) at the entrance of district judge Vijay Achaliya's office building was left unguarded. That's because all available policemen have been posted on bandobast duty.

At noon, not a single cop was available to man the DFMD through which at least 10 people pass every 30 seconds. With no guards around, many entered through the gaps on the sides of the detector.

Court authorities said there were no cops on duty due to the warkaris festival. However, senior police officers said that if the police have provided a DFMD, a police official must be posted to monitor it.

Sanjeev Singhal, additional commissioner (Administration), said, "It is the duty of the police to provide manpower to monitor the detectors. But during the Palkhi festival, which will be on till June 19, authorities draw much of the manpower for bandobast duties."

Joint commissioner Rajendra Sonawane and Shivaji Nagar police officials remained unavailable for comment.

When asked whether DFMDs were enough to keep miscreants at bay, Prakash Deshmukh, registrar of the district judge's office, said, "It is necessary that there is a police constable for monitoring the detectors."

When informed that there was no policeman present on the spot, he said, "Since it is Palkhi yatra today, all policemen are on bandobast duty."

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