Rtd ACP Bhanupratap Barge takes poll on Facebook before joining politics
Sumit Singh
Pune, August 22, 2019 : Former Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bhanupratap Barge today took to social media for taking people’s views whether he should join politics or not. He has started one week poll on Facebook about this.
ACP Barge retired from Pune city police on July 31 this year. Since then talks are going on whether he will join politics as has been done by IPS officer Satyapal Singh, Sahebrao Patil, and Mumbai Police encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma.
According to sources, ACP Barge is interested in contesting the upcoming state assembly elections from Shivajinagar constituency in Pune.
Barge completed education from Fergusson College, Pune, and joined Maharshtra Police in 1985 as a Sub-Inspector. He served in Mumbai till 2006. During his service in Mumbai, he was involved in actions that led to the “encounter” killings of 19 gangsters and criminals.
Barge was also part of the ‘Lokhandwala shootout’, in which underworld gangster Maya Dolas was gunned down.
He is also the first Indian police officer to receive ‘Survivors Club Membership’, an international award for action against terrorists.
Barge was also part of the anti-terrorist operations, in which four operatives of a Khalistani terrorist group were killed by police in Mumbai in 1995. His actions in Mumbai also included seizure of huge amount of RDX and 220 kg of brown sugar, which was valued at Rs 220 crore.
Later Barge was transferred to Pune City Police in 2006. He played a role in arresting hardened gansgters in the city. He also investigated the arrest of a youth from Pune, who allegedly visited Pakistan after being lured by the ISI.
According to Indian Express newspaper, Barge was instrumental in rescuing more than 150 minor and major girls from sex trade, when he was posted with social security cell (SSC) of Pune city police Crime Branch.
He joined the Maharshtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2014. He led the team which arrested alleged Maoist leaders including K Muralidharan alias Ajith, Ismail Hamza, Arun Bhelke and Kanchan Nanavare. He also investigated the cases of youths who were allegedly indoctrinated by the ISIS.
Barge was again transferred to the Pune City Police in 2018, from where he retired on July 31, 2019.
Barge received more than 430 rewards and also one punishment during his 34 years of service.
