Team including women officers to be deployed to prevent sexual offences

Special squads to take special care of women

Team including women officers to be deployed to prevent sexual offences

Terror and harassment against women are issues that are keeping the city police busy before Christmas and New Year's Eve. In a bid to stop sexual harassment instances especially during New Year's Eve, the city police have formed special squads to tackle the menace.

Also, this being the first New Year's Eve after German Bakery bomb blast, the police are not taking any chances.

It may be recalled that on New Year's Eve night of 2006, a girl was molested and harassed by a bunch of hooligans at Gateway of India.u00a0

"Adequate staff from special and crime branch including women officers will be deployed around party venues and busy streets to ensure that New Year celebrations happen without offences against woman," said DCP Makrand Ranade. "In 2008, a case of molestation was reported at Gateway of India. To keep hooligans from indulging in such activities we will deploy adequate staff around party venues."

To monitor places where maximum crowd gathers, police officials will personally video shoot the crowd. City police also plans to join hands with the PMC to monitor 70 CCTV cameras installed in the city monitoring 40 chowks, railway stations, and bus stops amongst others.

He said, "This is the first New Year eve after the German bakery blast. There is an alert sounded off in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Pune is close to Mumbai and chances of terror elements if any trying to enter the city cannot be ruled out. Considering this we are not going to take chances. Six SRPF platoons will be deployed and we have requested six more platoons."

He added 10 DCPs, 3 ACPs and staff attached to police stations would remain alert till the crowd returns after celebrations.

He said, "Bomb Disposal Detection squads have been stationed at six places to reach any destination within a short period of time. Alert agile officers will man 10 control room lines to address any calls on New Year's Eve.

Twenty striking squads, comprising one police officer and 15 policemen will be given adequate equipment like tear gas and barricades.

City police's Special Branch has written to all multiplexes, malls, five-star hotels regarding security arrangements. Policemen will check that the gadgets installed at all the important establishments are working and security guards employed by these establishments are able to handle any eventuality. Police said security would be provided to 15 five-star hotels and to around 40 clubs in the city.

To cover up the vehicle crunch, the Special Branch has asked the police to use their private vehicles. Two additional mobile vans will be provided to all the police stations.