Massive security at Shivaji Park, BKC ahead of Dussehra rallies of Sena factions

Mumbai: Anticipating huge turnouts at Dussehra rallies of Shiv Sena factions on Wednesday, the Mumbai Police has tightened security at Shivaji Park and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), an official said on Tuesday.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are scheduled to address separate rallies at Dadar and MMRDA grounds in BKC, respectively.

While Shinde will be holding his maiden Dussehra rally after the split in Shiv Sena, Thackeray will address sainiks at Shivaji Park, the traditional venue for the Dussehra congregation. The simultaneous rallies are aimed at galvanising Sena cadres split into two camps.

Mumbai Police are on their toes as a large number of Sena workers have started arriving in Mumbai from various parts of Maharashtra.

Ahead of the rallies, many roads are either closed for traffic or traffic diversions are put in place.

Traffic Police have started towing unclaimed vehicles and also asking car owners to willingly remove their vehicles, officials said.

A senior Mumbai Police officer said 3,200 officers, 15,200 police personnel, 1,500 personnel of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), 1,000 jawans of Homeguard, 20 Quick Response Teams (QRTs), 15 Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads (BDDS) are deployed for the two rallies and to ensure peaceful immersion of idols of Goddess Durga on Wednesday. Officials of the crime branch in plainclothes are also deployed at the venue of the rallies.

At BKC, 2,000 personnel of Mumbai Police and traffic police, 5-6 DCPs, and 15-16 ACPs, will be on bandobast duty.

Officials also said that security at prominent beaches including Juhu, Versova, Dadar, and Girgaon has been beefed up for immersion processions.

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Buses carrying Shiv Sainiks and others from western and north Mumbai will be parked along Senapati Bapat Marg and Kamgar Maidan, while those arriving from Navi Mumbai and Thane will be parked at Five Gardens, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Edanwala Road, officials said.

Cars will be parked at India Bulls Finance, IndiaBulls One Centre and Kohinoor Square. For the BKC rally, buses will be parked behind the family court, near Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, MMRDA ground, near Jio garden in the vicinity. Car parking will be at Jio garden basement parking.

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