Mumbai cops plea a ban on BQS hoardings
21st December'11, Mumbai
The Mumbai police have asked BEST to remove hoardings from its bus stops because these can be used by terrorists to conceal bombs. Letter sent by police on Tuesday says bus stop hoardings can be used by terrorists to hide bombs. In a letter addressed to BEST Chairman Sunil Shinde, Additional Commissioner, central region, Vineet Agarwal has said that bus stops have become vulnerable to terrorist attacks and it's imperative to take steps to secure them.
In the 13/7 serial blasts that left 27 dead and over a hundred injured, the bomb at Dadar was concealed in a flower bucket and hidden behind a billboard atop a bus stop. In Surat too, several of the bombs that were planted but did not go off were hidden behind hoardings mounted on bus stops. Indian Mujahideen members arrested in connection with the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts had told Mumbai Crime Branch that they had planted bombs over bus stops not only to make sure they were not spotted, but also to amplify their impact.
Vineet’s directive will, however, hit BEST's already depleted finances. BEST makes very little out of ticket sales and it is the advertising revenue that adds substantially to its kitty. However, officials have shown willingness to consider the demand given that it's a public undertaking and public welfare is of paramount importance.
While BEST General Manager Om Prakash Gupta maintained that he is yet to see the letter and hence would not comment, BEST committee chairman Sunil Shinde said he will first have to understand what the police want. "The letter has not been discussed yet. But since the police have written it and its a security related issue, we will discuss it and try to understand their point of view.
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