Modi, Shah in Pune for national DGPs conference

In first meeting since assuming charge as CM, Uddhav Thackeray receives PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Pune on Friday evening as former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis looks on.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday arrived in Pune attend the three-day, all-India conference of Directors’ General of Police (DGP) and Inspectors’ General of Police (IGP) from across the country.

As per protocol, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray received Mr. Modi on his arrival at the Pune International Airport late on Friday evening.

This is the first meeting between Mr. Thackeray and Mr. Modi since the former assumed charge as Chief Minister following the breakdown of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena alliance after the Assembly poll results.

Mr. Shah preceded the Prime Minister by a few hours, arriving at the Lohegaon Airport in an Indian Air Force aircraft. Director of Intelligence Bureau, Arvind Kumar, Director General of Police Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, Pune Commissioner of Police Dr. K. Venkatesham were among those who received him.

The Home Minister addressed the inaugural session of the conference and will be present on all three days of the conference.

“Addressed the All-India conference of director generals/inspector generals’ of police 2019 in Pune,” Mr. Shah tweeted. The conference, which is held annually, is usually a closed-door event in which a myriad of internal security issues are taken stock of.

The theme of the conference this year is scientific and forensics-based investigation as well as technology-enabled policing.

The conclave is being held at two venues close to each other, in the sprawling premises of the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER) in Baner and in the verdant Centre for Police Resarch (CPR) in Pashan.

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, along with the heads of central investigative and intelligence agencies and paramilitary forces, are also attending the conference.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the valedictory session of the conference.

Traffic and commute at a number of points in the city was affected due to the visits of a battery of VVIPs, with security beefed up at the Pune Airport prior to Mr. Shah and Mr. Modi’s arrivals.