Mumbai: Over 19,000 cops deployed, security tightened for Dussehra rallies | Details here

A large number of supporters are likely to congregate in the city to attend the rallies of their respective parties.

The Mumbai police have deployed more than 16,500 constables and nearly 2,900 officers along with the personnel of various special units across the city in view of the Dussehra rallies of political parties and processions for immersion of goddess Durga idols on October 2, officials said. This year, Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti are being celebrated on the same day.

Crowd management and preventive security measures have been intensified in sensitive areas.(PTI)

The ruling Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will hold its annual Dussehra rally at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon although it was earlier scheduled to take place at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray is set to hold its similar rally at its traditional venue - Shivaji Park in Dadar area of central Mumbai.

A large number of supporters are likely to congregate in the city to attend the rallies of their respective parties.

"In view of these political rallies and the Durga idol immersion processions, the police have made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order and to avoid any untoward incident," an official said on Wednesday.

"Seven Additional Commissioners of Police, 26 Deputy Commissioners, 52 Assistant Commissioners, 2,890 officers and 16,552 constables have been deployed," he said.

Besides this, platoons of the State Reserve Police (SRP), units of the Quick Response Team (QRT), the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), dog squads, as well as teams of Delta, Combat and Riot Control and Home Guards are also on the ground to monitor the situation, he said.

Crowd management and preventive security measures have been intensified in sensitive areas to avoid congestion and ensure peaceful conduct of events, according to the official.

The Mumbai traffic police have also made arrangements about traffic regulation, he said, adding that routes have been changed considering the rallies and processions.