Tight security in place ahead of Dindi festival in Margao

MARGAO, NOV 18
Around 300-350 police personnel, besides traffic cops will stand guard in the Commercial capital on Friday night as the city braces up to celebrate the popular Dindi festival tomorrow.
As many as five watch towers, police personnel armed with rifles and night vision glasses will guard the entire procession route from Hari Mandir at Pajifond to Vithal Mandir, Comba.
Like last year, the police had banned vehicular parking along the Palki procession route from Hari Mandir to Vithal Mandir, but had permitted sweets mart stalls near the Post office.
Briefing newsmen, Margao Sub Divisional Police officer, DySP Umesh Gaonkar said seven PIs, 20 PSIs, six ASIs, 20 head constables, 170 constables, two platoons of IRB, besides traffic personnel will be deployed in the city. “These personnel will work in three shifts, beginning from Friday evening till the culmination of the festivities on Saturday night”, he said.
Gaonkar sought cooperation from the devotees and members of the public for the smooth conduct of the Dindi festival. “After the 2009 bomb blast, we have decided to provide tight security arrangements for the Dindi festival. Police personnel are directed to go about with the arrangements as per the plan and we expect the public to cooperate with the agencies”, he added.
DySP Gaonkar said devotees should observe certain precautions when they come to seek blessings of the deity. “They should not come with baggage and avoid being frisked by the personnel”, he added.
He said the police has certain areas of the procession route illuminated from the security point of view, adding that the power department has carried out illumination work as per the security plan.
As far as parking arrangements are concerned, Gaonkar said that no parking has been notified on the road from Hari Mandir-Lilly garment-New Market, Babu Naik shop lane to Bank of India, road behind the MMC-Rangavi building, road from Bank of India-Gomant Vidya Niketan, entire road from Abade Faria road to JMFC court, no parking on Comba internal lanes.
A Margao police out post near Hari Mandir has been functioning since November 14 and the outpost would be withdrawn only after the culmination of the Dindi festivities on November 20.