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Bengaluru: 12,000 cops ensure safe New Year celebrations

The revelry went on till 2 am on Tuesday across the city.

Bengaluru: Bengalureans welcomed the New Year safe and secure, and with a great festive fever, as nearly 12,000 police personnel took guard braving the chilly night to ensure peaceful celebrations on the New Year's Eve.

The celebrations went on till 2 am on Tuesday across the city. MG Road and Brigade Road, the hubs of celebrations, were thronged by the young and old alike. No untoward incidents were reported, thanks to elaborate security arrangements made by the city police.

The crowds started arriving at MG Road, Brigade Road, Indiranagar, Koramangala and Whitefield by 9 pm to wave goodbye to 2018 and welcome the New Year. As the clock struck 12, crackers lit up the skies and crowds cheered and wished each other.

Thousands of revellers were seen on the illuminated MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, Lavelle Road, St Mark’s Road, Richmond Road, Residency Road and Commercial Street in the Central Business District.

Though there were enough personnel, the police still found it difficult to handle the crowd. Most of the people were drunk and refused to budge even after 2 am, a senior police officer said.

“Everything went according to the plan and the celebrations were peaceful. No untoward incidents were reported during or after the celebration. Credit goes to all the policemen who took guard to ensure a peaceful celebration,” Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Seemanth Kumar Singh said.

As a precautionary measure, the police had booked eight marriage halls to accommodate citizens who were caught driving drunk.

Home Minister M.B. Patil and DG&IGP Neelamani N. Raju went around the CBD on Monday night to check the security arrangements and deployment of police personnel for the safety of the people, especially women and children.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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