A massive rally at the Azad Maidan last week,and another one slated for next week,has cut into the Azad Maidan police's usual two month respite from protest bandobast duty during the monsoon season. This respite is usually used to look at other duties,including security reviews for vital installations in the police stations jurisdiction,including BMC and Mumbai police headquarters. For nine months a year,Azad Maidan in south Mumbai sees protests almost every day. As a result,some personnel from Azad Maidan police station have to be permanently present at the ground to ensure that no untoward incidents occur. The frequency of the protests tapers off with the advent of monsoons,particularly in the month of June,as the first heavy showers discourage protestors. The police personnel then enjoy a respite from the daily bandobast till the middle of July,when the monsoon session of the State Assembly begins. The police station gets another breather after the one-month session ends,till September every year. A Supreme Court ruling says that any rally or union protest van be allowed only in Azad Maidan,said a traffic official. On any given day,we have at least one officer and five-six policemen at the police station. Additional reinforcements are sent from the Headquarters if there is a major protest or rally. However,the responsibility of ensuring law and order,and discouraging anti-social elements rests on our shoulders. We are also responsible for keeping our eyes and ears open for any possible sabotage attempts during protests,besides taking action in case a protest turns violent, said an officer. However,on June 12 this year,members of the Mumbai Autorickshawmen's Union held a protest march from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan. Another massive rally is slated for June 18. The rally is planned by supporters of Sharad Pawar and we expect a turn out of 4,000-5,000 people. We have started preparations to tackle the protest, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisve,Zone I. After the June 18 rally,police will start preparing for monsoon session of the Assembly,which begins July 15. Many groups prefer to hold a protest while the Assembly is underway. We have to be ready with contingency plans before the session begins, said an officer. Asked if this would put a strain on the staff at the Azad Maidan police station,Dr Shisve said,Its not only the Azad Maidan police's jurisdiction. The entire Zone I area has many vital installations and we always have to be on our toes.
