Mock drill at Shaniwarwada

With just a day left for the Ganeshotsav to begin,the Pune police on Saturday evening conducted a mock drill of combating terror attack,at Shaniwarwada.

A huge police force armed with AK47s,carbines and SLRs,and the fire brigade with their equipment,reached Shaniwarwada around 5.30 pm,causing panic among the local residents who were took by surprise. Some visitors at Shaniwarwada ran out thinking there was a terrorist attack.

The police force cordoned off the area. A few cops entered the wada by climbing the walls using ropes. Some visitors inside the wada were brought out as if they were rescued from terrorists. The operation went on for about two hours.

Additional Commissioner of Police (South region) Prabhat Kumar said,It was about handling and operating during a sudden terror attack situation. Police officers of the rank of constables,sub inspectors,inspectors,assistant commissioners and deputy commissioner participated in the mock drill. We cannot disclose the exact number of policemen involved in the action

We wanted to check our response time during emergency situations. There should be minimum life and property loss, Kumar said.

Deputy Commissioner (Zone I) Dnyaneshwar Phadtare led the mock drill. The Pune rural police had carried out a similar mock drill at Jejuri temple last month.

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