Senior police officers from Karnataka and Maharashtra held a joint meeting in Nippani on Tuesday, in view of the hearing of the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute in the Supreme Court being listed for Wednesday.
ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar, IGPs of Belagavi and Kolhapur, SPs of Belagavi, Kolhapur, Sindhudurg and Deputy SPs from Belagavi and Savantwadi were present.
They discussed various challenges in maintaining law and order in the border districts and exchanged information about deputing police officers and staff along the border, especially in areas with history of violence.
Buses across border
They pointed out that over 600 State-owned buses operate across the border daily, of which around 400 were KSRTC buses. Officers were asked to ensure safety of the buses, staff and commuters.
Vigil at 21 border check posts is to be hiked by police of both States, they said and officers were told to keep an eye on trouble makers of various groups on both states.
Mr. Kumar told journalists in Nippani, “Police of both States will work together to make sure that no individual or group creates any law and order disturbance, following the developments on Wednesday.”
Safety assured
Mr. Kumar also visited Belagavi city and held meeting with senior officers. He greeted drivers and conductors of Maharashtra State Road Transport buses with flowers and assured them of safe passage into Belagavi district.
He also visited the Suvarna Soudha, where Legislature session is set to begin on December 19.
Issues related to the proposed visit of Maharashtra Ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai, tasked with resolving the border issue, to Belagavi on December 3 were also discussed. They are supposed to hold talks with Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti leaders and express solidarity with their agitation to join Maharashtra.
Raut summoned by court
Another topic that came up during discussion was the issue of summons by a local court to Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UT faction) MP, in connection with a hate speech concerning the border dispute. The party spokesperson has been asked to appear before the JMFC court in Belagavi on December 1.
Mr. Kumar later told journalists that the police would not tolerate any disruptive activities by any group. “For the police, maintenance of law and order is paramount. We will treat members of all groups — whether MES or any other group — equally strictly. There is no bar to any protest or demonstration that is peaceful. However, any violation of the law by anyone, will not be tolerated,’‘ he said.
