Adopting a cautious approach in the wake of the neighbouring coastal districts witnessing frequent communal incidents, the Shivamogga police have planned to emulate Mumbai-model of forming mohalla-level committees to maintain law and order in the communally sensitive city.
A team comprising senior police officers and members of civil society organisations from Shivamogga will be sent to Mumbai to study the functioning of mohalla committees there.
Apart from invoking the Goonda Act against persons habitually involved in communal clashes, it has been planned to opt for community policing by forming mohalla-level committees to prevent clashes here.
It may be noted that to control frequent communal flare-ups in Mumbai following the demolition of Babri Masjid, mohallah committees were formed there by civil society groups and the police in 1994. During occasions such as Ganesh festival and Durga puja, the members of these committees join hands with the police to maintain peace and amity.
Areas identified
In Shivamogga city, incidents of communal clashes have been reported when Ganesh idols are taken out in processions for immersion. Abhinav Khare, Superintendent of Police, told The Hindu that the department had identified 35 communally sensitive areas in the city and preliminary meetings had been held there on the formation of such committees. Senior citizens, members of civil society organisations, politicians, and retired police personnel belonging to various castes and religions would be members of these committees. The committees would be entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining peace and amity in their jurisdiction.
The local police will act as facilitators for the formation and working of the committees. In the next phase, mohalla committee model would be extended to Bhadravathi and Tirthahalli.
