BENGALURU: Managing lakhs of mourners at Kanteerava Stadium paying last respects to Puneeth Rajkumar over 36 hours was a daunting task for the police.
However, they ensured it was peaceful as was his last journey to Dr Rajkumar Memorial, Sree Kanteerava Studios.
Around 20,000 police personnel were in position by 3am Sunday at the stadium, studios and along the route. They left their posts only 13 hours later.
“We saw fans outside the stadium and on the route around 4am. By the time the convoy reached the studio, there were thousands outside. The studio was barricaded and members of the public banned,” a senior police officer said.
The heavy bandobust was for the third consecutive day. Around 12.15pm on Friday (October 29), city police commissioner Kamal Pant and two additional commissioners were informed about Puneeth being rushed to Vikram Hospital. He directed ACP (East) S Murugan to take charge of security arrangements there.
DCPs D Devaraj (Whitefield), MN Anuchet (Central), SD Sharanappa (East) and Mohammed Sajitha (CAR) also rushed there and were soon joined by Pant.
Pant met family members and doctors and chalked out a plan of action. “We realised the importance of a quick bandobust at Vikram Hospital, Sadashivanagar [where the Rajkumars reside] and Kanteerava Stadium and across the city,” Pant said.
Police barricaded all roads leading to Puneeth’s house in less than 20 minutes. Other officers began mobilising personnel from across the city, maintaining law & order, keeping an eagle’s eye on anti-social elements and ensuring Hoysala patrol vehicles were deployed.
After cops had taken control all over the city, DCP Devaraj headed the convoy that took Puneeth’s body to his Sadashivanagar house.
Meanwhile, Kanteerava Stadium was being readied and barricades put up to ensure mourners could file past the body. DCP Sajitha set up a control room at the stadium where the body arrived late Friday evening. A Rapid Action Force unit was also deployed.
By Friday midnight, reinforcements from Mysuru, Tumakuru, Davanagere, Chitradurga and Bengaluru Rural landed in the city. “We identified spots for reinforcements and they directly went there,” Pant said.
He added: “I know most police personnel hadn’t slept enough or had regular meals from Friday to Sunday. But it was our responsibility to maintain law & order.”
