Pune Police withdraw protection of 20 people including Vidyanand Bapat after review

Pune Police reviewed the security provided to prominent people in the city, after which the protection of 20 people, including Vidyanand Bapat, has been withdrawn. The decision was taken at a Special Branch meeting held on October 23. It was said to be part of a periodic review of security needs.

Those whose police protection has now ended include Bapat, who came into the news over the issue of noise pollution. Also on the list are Sanjay Nahar of the Sarhad organisation, Shekhar Mundada, chairman of the Maharashtra Goseva Aayog, and Ashish Satpute, the lawyer who represented parties in the Koregaon Bhima case.

The list has several other names. Protection has also been withdrawn for Cyrus Poonawalla of the Serum Institute, businessman Punit Balan, political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla, film producer Mihir Kulkarni, Ajinkya D. Y. Patil, businessman Michel Yohan Poonawalla and Yohan Zaveri Poonawalla. Security given to some builders and other prominent businesspeople has also been withdrawn.

On the other hand, businessman Rana Suryavanshi, who was seriously injured in an attack in the Baramati area, will continue to receive security. He has been given Y-plus category protection with an escort. Laxman Hake has also been given an escort vehicle and armed guards on a one-plus-one basis.

The Pune Police Commissioner has the authority to decide which prominent people need police protection. Under the Commissioner's supervision, the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Special Branch reviews the security needs of those given protection.

Such a review is held every two months. It decides whether the existing arrangement should continue, be changed or be withdrawn. It was also said that the present decision was taken after this routine review of the city's security arrangements.