35k Mumbai cops on roads to ensure peace

MUMBAI: After Tuesday’s errors, the Mumbai police had a firm plan in place as the city shut down amid Dalit protests. And they had the men on the streets to back it up. They hit the roads with neartotal strength on Wednesday — 35,000 of the city’s 47,000 police men and women were deployed.

Their strategy was clear: no brute force, a strong presence, a response that hinged on picketing and placation.

“There were clear-cut instructions not to use force at any cost, given the sensitive nature of the situation, so we had to present an intimidating front,” said a top Mumbai police official, speaking anonymously. “Our strength would have to be in numbers, so about 75% of the total force was on the streets, with additional armed companies roped in from the state Armed Police and State Reserve Police Force.”

The CCTV network played a crucial role in helping monitor the protests as they unfolded, and shifted from suburb to suburb.

“Stills of the footage were used to identify vandals in real time,” said Sachin Patil, deputy com- missioner of police for operations. “These images were then sent to the staff on the ground, who could pick them up quickly.”

Deployments began at 5.30am, with a large police presence being set up in sensitive areas where protestors were expected in large numbers. A total of 150 known miscreants were detained overnight as a preventive measure.

“Maximum deployments were made in Powai, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli in the eastern suburbs, all of which have large Dalit pockets...” Patil said.

Simultaneously, police pickets were set up on arterial roads across the eastern and western suburbs, to ensure reinforcements could be rushed to troublespots. Though the early morning hours passed peacefully, barring occasional roadblocks in suburbs such as Powai and Vikhroli, the situation changed dramatically at noon, when marauding mobs began throwing stones, forcing shops to down shutters, and attacking vehicles.

“Stringent action will be initiated against those found to have indulged in violence ...” said joint commissioner of police for law and order, Deven Bharati. Colaba