Belagavi (Karnataka): A high-level meeting of top police officers of both Maharashtra and Karnataka was held on Tuesday under the leadership of Karnataka ADGP Law and Order Alok Kumar to discuss inter-border coordination between the two states in wake of the border dispute which will be heard by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The delegation from Karnataka was led by Alok Kumar who was accompanied by the Belagavi Police Commissioner, Belagavi Superintendent of Police, 2 Deputy Commissioners of Police, and 6 Deputy Superintendents of Police while SPs from Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, and Bidar joined virtually.
From Maharashtra, Sawantwadi Deputy SP and 2 CPIs were present physically and SPs from Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, and Sindhudurg attended the meeting virtually. Speaking to the media after the meeting, ADGP Alok Kumar said that last week some people pelted stones and smeared black ink on the buses of Karnataka in the state of Maharashtra.
"There were three cases. This should not happen again and tomorrow the Supreme Court will give a verdict on the border application. Thus the meeting was held. A meeting has been held under the leadership of officials of Maharashtra and Karnataka so that there should not be any commotion at the border tomorrow," he said.
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Speaking about the special arrangements on border areas, the ADGP said that police have decided to form joint checkposts at three places on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border, and 21 check-posts in the Belagavi district alone. All the arrangements will come into place from today evening only.
“We have decided to form joint check-posts at three places in Kagwad, Nippani, and Sankeshwar. And 21 check posts in the Belagavi district. So far we don’t feel there will be a need to deploy more KSP but more decisions will be taken as per the situation tomorrow,” said the ADGP.
Even though Karnataka buses were targeted and vandalised last week, the state government has decided to keep the government buses running in the border areas and the decision to halt the bus services will be decided at the hearing of the Supreme Court.
“From Karnataka, 429 KSRTC buses travel to Maharashtra, and 176 from Maharashtra come to Karnataka, to ensure that there should be no problem for people, we have also held a discussion with the neighbouring state police and the appropriate decision about the transportation services will be taken by observing the apex court hearing," the ADGP said.
Maharashtra Ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai are slated to visit Belagavi on the invitation of the Madhyawarti Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti on December 3. The ADGP said that any activity that creates law and order problems will not be allowed.
