Public screening may be allowed

Police review law and order situation in city to decide on public screening and fireworks on roads can be permitted for the WC match

Police review law and order situation in city to decide on public screening and fireworks on roads can be permitted for the WC match

Puneites will have a reason to cheer as they might get permission for public screening of the World Cup 2011 grand finale tomorrow between two Asian giants -- India and Sri Lanka. The decision in this regard will be taken today as the police reviews the law and order state in the city.


Better Behave: Police say that the crowd overenthusiasm may sometimes
lead to law-and-order problem

The city police, as a part of preventive measures on Wednesday, had banned public screening and bursting of firecrackers during the India-Pakistan match. This move had evoked angry reactions from the citizens and political groups as well.

After receiving the flak, now the city police are trying not to play spoilsport but maintain some discipline atleast.u00a0Senior police officials say that although India-Sri Lanka match is not as sensitive as Indo-Pak, people show over-enthusiasm and pose a risk to public safety.

Past situation
The city police had banned citizens from bursting firecrackers in open places ahead of the India-Pakistan semifinal. SRPF battalions having six platoons were deployed in the sensitive areas including parts of Laxmi Road, Faraskhana, Cantonment and Kondhwa.

Mild lathi-charge
Deccan police officials and traffic branch of the city police had to resort to a mild lathicharge with a few people who were misbehaving on road after the semifinal match at Sangam Bridge.

Reason
Vehicles over crowded a petrol pump in front of the RTO office near Sangam Bridge after people rushed in to fill fuel tanks. The employees at the fuelling station had to close down their centre due to which the crowd turned unruly. Finally, police had to be called in, who resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. DCP Dnyaneshwar Phadtare said, "It wasn't a lathicharge per say, just that a few people may have got a 'prasad' from the policemen."