20 April,2011 06:14 AM IST | | J Dey
"The angry protesters were fully prepared for action," alleged Param Bir Singh, inspector general of the Konkan Range, while speaking to MiD DAY. He went on to say, "The plan to attack police stations and senior police officers appears to have been planned well in advance. We had to open fire as a last resort." According to IG Singh, angry protesters on Monday evening first attacked a deputy superintendent of police, injuring him. They also made an attempt to take the superintendent of police at Ratnagiri by surprise.
Singh, who is stationed at 'ground zero,' said that the police was left with very little choice but to defend itself. Matters came to a head when 700-odd villagers ransacked a police station, after pelting stones at police inspectors and setting public property on fire, at Jaitapur.
"We imposed curfew in the area, and this helped bring the situation under control. Prohibitory orders will be lifted as soon as things return to normalcy," added Singh, yesterday evening. He is now commanding the forces at Ratnagiri. Policemen from the Konkan rangeu00a0-- which extends from Dahanu in the north to Sawantwadi in the southu00a0-- have been roped in to control the situation. Additional battalions from the State Reserve Police Force have been requisitioned for the purpose of riot control.
Police sources admitted that the hilly terrain was hampering the movement of the forces, making it especially difficult for them to manoeuvre their vehicles into villages, for combing operations. A team of police officers has shortlisted a number of history-sheeters as suspects. They are likely to be picked up once the matter settles down.
