Pune city police along with local citizens, former police, home guards work together in handling the mob
Pune police trains citizens to help in bandobast during Ganpati festival
As Pune city is on alert this festive season, the Pune police have trained around 32,000 citizens who turned volunteers to help police in bandobast during Ganpati festival in order to avoid any undue incidences. Such volunteers are given training of safety from fire, handling the mob, shown some social aliment suspect pictures along with Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS).
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In the Pune city commissionerate, there are 30 police stations including some 100 police chowkies and nearly 3,500 public Ganpatis have been set up on the street. Pune city police along with local citizens, former police, home guards work together in handling the mob to avoid any major undue incidences. Considering the strength of police, around 32000 citizens including former police officer, college students, citizens with every Ganpati Mandal have come together and trained.
Pune city Commissioner Dr Venkatesham K admitted such training and said, "Such an initiative to understand and share the role of policing is not easy but comes with responsibility. More than the police, it is the citizens who are actively present in the area and know the area better than the police. This is one way of exercise to share and get expertise, communicate and reach out to citizens."
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Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ravindra Shisve said, "Such volunteers selections and training along with practical race was carried for last two months in six to seven different sessions. Including handling the crowd with happy faces with no weapon and stick, traffic norms, first aid training, vacating area for emergency purpose, policemen, as well as BDDS training along with pictures of notorious social aliment, suspects information."
He added, "In BDDS training, we have trained such volunteers to handle the situation peacefully, vacate the area, secure the area and alert the police. Apart from that, the volunteers are selected based on the area and the ganpati Mandal which is in that area so that they can do their work. Each volunteer is given a personal book. Along with that, a logbook is kept at the Ganpati mandal in which they have to check the security, noise level and inform every two hours. After every four hours, the work is monitored by the police and superior officers in the area check every six hours. BDDS calls can alert two chances of incidences in time and to avoid it, we have taken such a step. We have set a target to carry out search operations and BDDS visits to every Ganpati Mandal which will also be an eye-opener to all citizens."
Adv Pratap Pardeshi, who has taken the training said, "Such experiences are helpful not only in such police bandobast but also while other critical situations."
Pune based Law college Student Yash Ovhal said, "I am attached to Pune city police for last three years but this year, the training and awareness given to us was more like a policemen recruitment. Earlier we were asked to manage the mob as and when we want but now, each volunteer performs roles and tasks which have been assigned. It's really an honour to gain first-hand experiences as such experiences will help in a lifetime."
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