Bhopal's 'VVIP' mango trees protected by SAF personnel round the clock

Some popular varieties of mangoes including Totapari, Dussehri, and Langra comprise of the trees planted here and therefore are a matter of temptation for many people. To protect these mangoes from the laymen's urges, the SAF personnel are stationed on the ground 24 hours.

Bhopal: In a rather unusual move, the Madhya Pradesh Special Action Force (SAF) has deployed security personnel to monitor the mango trees around the Martyrs Memorial located at the Red Parade Ground in the capital, so that no one would pluck the fruit from the trees. These VVIP Mango trees around the ground premises are around 50 in number, all of them a variety of indigenous breed of mangoes.

Some popular varieties of mangoes including Totapari, Dussehri, and Langra comprise the trees planted here and therefore are a matter of temptation for many people. To protect these mangoes from the laymen's urges, the SAF personnel are stationed on the ground 24 hours. They do not allow people to even wander around the mango trees. The officials also reportedly keep sticks and torches with them for night surveillance. After the mangoes are ripe, they are distributed to the police officers and employees, leaving the rest scratching their heads.

The Sixth Battalion oversees the Lal Parade Ground and Motilal Nehru Stadium, four personnel of the same battalion are stationed on these grounds for 24 hours. Although there are only events like Independence Day, Republic Day, police activities or big government programs on the ground, still there is a ban on the movement of outsiders here on normal days.

Three gates are always kept closed to prevent the movement of vehicles on the ground. Only one gate is kept open, the rest of the gates are opened only for the movement of VIPs during major events. According to SAF ADG Srinivas Verma, the 6th Battalion is responsible for the security arrangements of Lal Parade Ground. Many government events are held from time to time in Lal Parade and Motilal Stadium, so the forces are continuously deployed to monitor the ground.