Complaint filed against dahi handi fest panel members

The Akhil Pravati All-In One Dahi Handi Festival Committee got permission from the local PMC ward office on August 27 for installing a pandal of 13 feet by 13 feet area for the Dahi Handi festival,according to police.

But the PMC staff found that festival committee actually installed a pandal of 20 feet by 15 feet,that was blocking the public road and creating traffic congestion. On August 30,the PMC issued a notice to the festival committee.

However,the committee ignored the notice. PMC authorities then filed a complaint with the Swargate police against the festival committee authorities.

Police then booked Sachin Babanrao Landge,president of the festival committee along with its executive members under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly issued by public servant),283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) of Indian Penal Code and Section 234 of the Municipal Corporation Act.

Investigation officer,assistant police inspector Varsharani Patil of Swargate police station said they have not yet arrested the Dahi Handi Festival Committee authorities to avoid violence in the city. “The are chances of violence if the committee members are arrested before or during the festival. So the arrests would be made after the festival is over,” she said.