Mumbai: Even as several supporters turned up
at the sprawling MMRDA ground to express their backing to Anna
Hazare's fast, some policemen too shouted slogans in the
Gandhian's favour.
However, these policemen in plain-clothes were not Hazare
sympathizers but were mingling with the crowd to spot
troublemakers at the 30,000 square metre ground to avoid any
untoward incident and gather information.
"We were instructed to do so to spot miscreants if there
were any. Wearing civil dress, we some times raised slogans
for Hazare and mixed up with the crowd as supporters," said a
constable.
Another constable, who was found singing patriotic songs
along with other supporters, said "We regularly updated our
seniors about the scenario at the venue."
"With no separate enclosure for males and females, we had
to pose as supporters to avoid any untoward incident," he
said.
When contacted, Deputy Police Commissioner (spokesperson)
Nisar Tamboli refused to comment.
Extensive police deployment was made at the venue with
2,000 police constables, 200 sub inspectors, six platoons of
CRPF, three teams of QRT, two BDDS, six emergency exits, fire
extinguishers 16 and six metal detector units pressed into
service at the venue.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 23:04