3,000 detained ahead of BMC polls

MUMBAI: Tight security arrangements are in place for the city's civic elections on Thursday, with police making over 3,000 preventive detentions to ensure smooth polling.

"The city police are fully prepared for the civic polls. Additional forces, including riot control police, will be deployed at the sensitive polling booths," Police Commissioner AN Roy said on Wednesday, a day before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.

At least 3,116 people have been detained.
 
Roy said at least one policeman will be stationed in each of the 6,951 booths across the city while one police inspector will be looking after each of the 227 wards which go to the polls.

"We have arranged things in such a way that we can reach any trouble spot within two or three minutes of any reported incident," Roy told reporters.

He said there will be 490 police vans and 330 beat marshals will be on the streets to tackle any emergency.

"The number of police personnel will be increased in each of the 320 polling booths in the city declared by the State Election Commission as sensitive."

"We will also deploy personnel from the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) with deputy commissioners of police (DCPs), additional commissioners of police (ACPs) and joint commissioners of police (JCPs) overseeing the process," Roy said.