[Bhima Koregaon] Pune Police took all possible measures to contain violence: IPS officer Rashmi Shukla to Inquiry Commission

Senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla who was Commissioner of Pune Police, has filed an affidavit before the Bhima Koregaon Inquiry Commission probing the violent clashes between Dalit and Maratha groups on December 31, 2017 around the time of the Elgar Parishad event..The senior officer stated that in the bicentennial celebration of Bhima Koregaon battle, the authorities anticipated large number of visitors coming from all over the State and adequate precautions and measures based on information by Commissioner of Mumbai, were taken.Based on the information, Pune city deployed strong bandobast at all sensitive locations and due to said effective deployment of man power there was negligible incidence of stone pelting within the jurisdictional limits of Pune city."Due to tactful and professional handling of the situation and effective controlling of mob, there was no incident anywhere in Pune city where the police used force to disperse the mob," the affidavit stated.Due to this, there was neither any loss of human life in the said incidents of violence nor any major untoward incident of outbreak of violence in the city nor any untoward incident in Pune, Shukla stated..On December 31, 2017, a group of persons including activists and retired Supreme Court judge Justice PB Sawant and retired Bombay High Court judge Justice BG Kolse-Patil came together for the Elgar Parishad event in Pune (city region).The event marked the 200th anniversary of the victory of Dalit soldiers in a battle against a local Brahmin Peshwa ruler, which was commemorated by the Dalit groups who gathered in the memorial located in the Koregaon Bhima region in the rural outskirts of Pune district, Maharashtra.However, violent clashes erupted between Dalit and Maratha groups at Koregaon Bhima..Shukla stated that approximately 4000-4500 people attended the Elgar Parishad incident. The affidavit pointed out that a total of 31 meetings were organized with several organizations to instill trust in police force ensuring that no person would be allowed to disturb the peace and tranquility of the city region of Pune..She pointed out that police personnel were deployed in large numbers at various fixed points and roads leading towards Koregaon Bhima. She informed that after promulgation of prohibitory orders the organizers of Elgar Parishad cancelled the proposed long march to Koregaon Bhima. Instead, after making speeches at the event, they left on their own to attend the memorial.She stated that immediately after the violence of January 1, 2018 police took stern action against trouble makers and 110 preventative actions were taken against wrong doers. "Due to professional intelligence collection and precise planning done by me and my team there was no major law and order incident in Pune city though adjoining neighbouring area was the epicenter of entire major law and order situation," the affidavit stated.