Bengaluru: The garden city of Bengaluru will turn into a fortress on New Year’s Eve (31 December) as the city police has decided to deploy over 15,000 personnel to ensure the revelry does not turn rowdy.

The police are taking no chances with security arrangements to avoid a repeat of last year’s purported incidents, including allegations of mass molestation of women on Brigade Road in the central business district, which made international headlines.

“Every year they make elaborate arrangements. Keeping the tradition, we have made elaborate arrangements this year also for which we will be deploying 15,000 policemen from the ranks of constable to commissioner," said T. Suneel Kumar, Bengaluru city police commissioner, on Wednesday.

Vehicular traffic in areas like Brigade Road, in the central party of the city, has been restricted.

The police will deploy about 70 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and City Armed Reserve (CAR) personnel, around 1,000 civil defence personnel and home guards, Kumar added.

During last year’s revelry, there were alleged incidents of mass molestation on Brigade Road, which typically sees around 40,000 people cramp up in a street that is barely 500 metres in length. However, in an interview with Mint in January, Praveen Sood, former police commissioner of Bengaluru, had denied that there was any incident of mass molestation as there was no evidence to support this claim.

Though the purported incident in Brigade Road turned out to be false, two men were caught on CCTV camera molesting a woman in Kammanahalli, about 7km from the central business district, leading to huge public outcry.

Around 2,000 women security personnel will be present across the city and about 500 in Brigade Road, Church Street and M.G.Road, Kumar said.

The police have set up around 50 CCTV cameras and special lighting on Brigade Road, Church Street, M.G.Road, Indiranagar, Koramangala and Basavanagudi, among other areas, which see a lot of people celebrating on the streets.

There are about 1,100 operational cameras in the city and the police have installed another 500 just to monitor proceedings on New Year’s Eve. The police will also use drones in many parts of the city to keep vigil.

Bomb and canine squads have been checking all locations in the central business district for the last few days as well. Kumar added that they will restrict entry and exit of people into Brigade Road depending on the capacity.

The police will also keep strict vigil on traffic to nab anyone speeding or drunk driving, Kumar said.

He warned that anyone creating a nuisance like breaking bottles or, misbehaving with women and children will be dealt with sternly.

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