Pune, July 29 Clubs with college students as members will help cops gather information on anti-social activities; meanwhile rumours of bombs fly thick and fast
While rumour mongers went into an overdrive for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh stepped forward to announce that he would soon set up an anti-terror front, involving college students, in a bid to tackle the threat of terrorism. The Mission Mrutyunjay, he said, was successfully implemented by him in Nagpur.
“I will soon form Mrutyunjay clubs for college students with the motto: remaining alert is our religion and creating awareness is our mission,” Singh said, adding that he would be holding a meeting with college principals in this regard. “I want college students to become the eyes and ears of the police department. Through Mission Mrutyunjay, the police will spread awareness about terrorism among college students by conducting various programmes. We will appeal to college students to inform the police about any suspicious activities they observe in the city,” he said.
He said he had formed 386 Mrutyunjay clubs in Nagpur. “The college students who were part of these clubs helped the Nagpur police in gathering intelligence about many anti-social activities.” Singh said the education system was laying itself bare as even outstanding medical and engineering students were joining terror outfits. “The Mrutyunjay clubs will help develop communal and social harmony among youngsters. The clubs will also help in strengthening the bond between the police and the youth,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), which had its hands full on Tuesday, was found to be working with only one bomb suit. There are five sniffer dogs available for the BDDS. It can currently form five teams with the help of these sniffer dogs. But BDDS sources lamented that the shortage of bomb suits will create a major problem if they get a call for checking more than one suspicious object at a time.
“We have already forwarded a proposal for increasing the number of bomb suits. But as of now we are managing with only one bomb suit. The reason could be that bomb suits are very costly,” the official said.
The police commissioner however said he was not aware of any such proposal. “I feel one bomb suit is enough. There is no need of a bomb suit for all cops. But since I am not an expert, I will seek an expert opinion on the issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, rumours of bombs flew thick and fast in the city today. While a “chocolate box” created panic at Symbiosis International University on Senapati Bapat Road, a security staff noticed a bag lying on the footpath adjacent to the wall of S B Mujumdar’s office around 11.30 am.
The police were immediately informed and a BDDS team reached the spot in 10 minutes even as the cops sealed the area and diverted the traffic. The BDDS, on inspecting the bag found that it was a regular chocolate box. .
The BDDS team also checked an unclaimed object outside the LIC building in Shivajinagar in the afternoon. Fear prevailed among the citizens for some time.
A few citizens who saw the BDDS on road thought that actual bombs were being defused, setting off panic among the crowd. The police have appealed to the citizens not to believe in rumours and contact on 100 or 26126296 for confirmation.
Firmly against scarves
Despite the protests by women’s organisations, the commissioner is firm on his stand against the use of scarves while riding two-wheelers. “Pune is no Taliban or Saudi Arabia. Is pollution the only reason for the women and girls are wearing scarves? And if that is the case, why are men not wearing scarves?” Singh said. “Some media surveys and reports have in fact shown that women support my stand ,” he added.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Mission-Mrutyunjay-Police-chief-floats-antiterror-plan/342239/
