More than 60,000 protesters from across Maharashtra have reached Mumbai over the past four days to participate in the ongoing agitation at Azad Maidan. A group of around 25 to 30 protesters has also taken to the streets near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on D.N. Road, South Mumbai.
Heavy Security Deployment
To maintain law and order, the city police have deployed a heavy security presence including Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary, Additional Commissioners, 9 Deputy Commissioners, over 2,000 police officers and personnel, along with four companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
Peaceful Handling Strategy
In view of the situation on the road, police are taking every precaution to ensure that the protest remains peaceful and that law and order are maintained. Instead of using force, we are engaging with protest coordinators to manage the crowds and are relying on their cooperation to remove parked vehicles from congested areas. Further actions will be taken in accordance with the directions of the High Court, an official said.
Vehicle Congestion in South Mumbai
A senior official stated that the total number of protester vehicles in Mumbai has reached nearly 5,000. Around 400 to 500 of these vehicles have been parked on both sides of the roads near Azad Maidan. Police are working in coordination with Maratha leaders to facilitate their removal.
Tensions at City Limits
Demonstrators from various parts of Maharashtra have been arriving in large numbers, and the number continues to grow each day. Police have been stopping many of the incoming vehicles at the city limits to manage the flow, leading to verbal confrontations at certain checkpoints. So far, around 1,200 vehicles have been halted at Navi Mumbai to control the flow into the city, according to police sources.
