City police seeks more forces for smooth polls

As per the plan, the city police will deploy six deputy commissioners of police DCP along with 14 assistant commissioners of police. Along with the senior officers, 36 inspectors and 188 assistant inspectors will patrol the city with almost 3,600 police personnel.

Along with the 12 platoons of SRPF 800 home guards will also be deployed to maintain security at the polling booths. The police has also asked for the deployment of 100 wireless sets to maintain smooth communication channels during the entire poll process.

According to DCP Special Branch Vijay Chavan, more para-military forces could be deployed depending on the situation. 8220;Although it is still quite early to say what the exact bandobast will be, two companies of the Central Reserve Police Force CRPF could also be deployed.8221;

Similarly, the rural police has also moved into top gear to ensure that elections in the rest of the district are held peacefully. According to deputy superintendent of police DySP Balkrishna Bastavarkar, 18 areas in the district have been identified as sensitive. 8220;We have put in our requirements but the actual position will be clearer once the additional forces are allocated,8221; he said.

According to the rural police five DySPs along with 26 inspectors and 98 sub-inspectors would be deployed for election duty. They have also asked for 3,163 police personnel to be beefed up with six platoons of the SRPF and 1,173 home guards. The proposal has also asked for 137 wireless sets and 129 vehicles which include 12 five-ton trucks.

As a part of their preventive action the rural police have registered 1,181 cases under relevant sections of the the Criminal Procedure Act and 78 cases under the Bombay Police Act. The rural police has also confiscated a pistol, revolver and a sword each, along with five live cartridges and three cases have been lodged under the Arms Act.

Lal Krishna Advani and Gopinath Munde stumped by a monitor lizard? Well almost, as a case of violation of the election code of conduct registered with the Pune city police is anything to go by.

On Sunday August 8 when Advani and Munde landed in the city, it was with the usual fanfare that comes on the eve of a general election. There were the usual banners, pomp and enthusiasm, all perfectly normal and probably expected in a year when the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are to be held simultaneously in the State after 20 years.

All was perfectly fine till somebody from the BJP allegedly got a fine looking monitor lizard aka Ghorpad along with a few rabbits in the function. The rabbits were fine but the monitor lizard, grabbed the limelight.

Although a harmless reptile it is also listed in the schedule one of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Something that Shantilal Suratwala, city president of the National Congress Party swooped on and immediately registered a case in, not one or two, but five police stations in the city!

So along with the 19 cases of poll code violation registered with the police, the ghorpad holds a place of pride. Although the whereabouts of the now famous lizard is not known, the police are conducting further investigations.