NYE nears, Navi Mumbai police step up their vigil

The Navi Mumbai police commissioner has warned people not to bring narcotics, firearms or any banned substance to the farmhouses, otherwise strict action will be taken

Navi Mumbai police have upped their vigil on the farmhouses in Panvel and its peripheries for the New Year celebrations. Many celebrities from Mumbai own farmhouses in this part of the city and come to celebrate New Year here.

Police checking motorists on New Year’s Eve last year in Nerul. (HT file photo)

The Navi Mumbai police commissioner has warned people not to bring narcotics, firearms or any banned substance to the farmhouses, otherwise strict action will be taken.

The farmhouses in Panvel had hit the headlines during Diwali in 2012 when four real estate agents were murdered at Patil farmhouse at Shiewale village by one of their colleagues. They had come to discuss some property-related issues at that farmhouse, and four of them were found murdered.

Shivraj Patil, deputy commissioner of police (zone 2) said, “Taking past incidents into consideration, we will ensure heavy bandobast around the farmhouses during the New Year celebrations. No one will be allowed to carry firearms to the farmhouses. Our officials will be stationed in those areas from the evening of December 31 till the next morning.

“Separate teams will be formed for patrolling and they will also conduct surprise visits in the farmhouses. If we find anyone violating the norms, he or she will be arrested on the spot.”

According to Patil, there are around 200 farmhouses in that region that are scattered in the jurisdictions of Panvel, Panvel Taluka, Taloja and Uran police station.

“We have also instructed the senior inspectors of these four police stations to call the owners or the managers of the farmhouses and explain the norms in detail. They are now in the process of doing it. Earlier this week, we also appealed through local media to the farmhouse owners not to violate the Covid-19 norms,” he said.

Bipin Kumar Singh, police commissioner of Navi Mumbai, said, “We have no issues if people from other places come and celebrate at the farmhouses. But they should not violate norms. As far as the other rules of New Year celebrations are concerned, we will follow the guidelines issued by the state.”