Ambad cops pull down hoardings of local goons

Nashik: The Ambad police on Saturday evening pulled down around 50 hoardings and posters featuring criminals conveying their wishes on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti.
The police took the suo motu action following complaints related to such banners and hoardings coming up across the city and warned the criminals, both both small-time and serious offenders, not to indulge in such an act.
This was the second time in a span of four months that the police launched such a crackdown. In November last year, the police in the city had taken action against the criminals found featuring on banners and posters in their respective localities.
All the hoardings and posters were illegal and no permission was sought from the municipal corporation. These display items cropped up overnight a day before Shiv Jayanti celebrations," senior police inspector B D Bardekar said.
The officer added that the patrolling teams were asked to spot all hoardings that carried photographs of the criminals who are on police records for serious offences such as house break-ins, dacoity, extortion and theft and bring those down immediately.
"The impact of the action was that various residents and groups started calling up the police and informed them about such hoardings. The crackdown continued till late in the night," Bardekar said.
The inspector said the criminals often use such hoardings and banners to make their position in society felt. "Besides, this creates a sense of fear among commoners as they see the local goons and habitual offenders being projected as leaders. The police want to send a strong message to all that such activities would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken," he told TOI.
"Another objective is also to show their importance or hold over the area. People often feel scared of the increasing influence of anti-social elements in the area," he said.
The police have appealed to the residents to get in touch with them on spotting such hoardings and banners and pledged to keep their identity confidential.