Cyclonic Vayu: Cops have tough time with curious crowds at public beaches

PORBANDAR: Police had a tough time dissuading crowds of women and children at the chowpatty (public beach promenade) here on Thursday. As news spread that wind speeds were increasing and storm surges were being seen at the shore, hundreds of people gathered to get a glimpse of the rough seas.
Police and the district administration had to use force to get people to leave the chowpatty. Police had to use force to get people to leave the area on Wednesday night as well.
The district administration pressed an autorickshaw with microphone and speakers into service, warning people that gathering in an area about to be hit by a cyclone was an offence, as it violated the district collector’s notification.
Ritesh Desai, a resident of the town said he had got married recently and his wife had never seen such rough sea. He wanted to show her the effects of Cyclonic Vayu on the sea and had thus brought her to the chowpatty, for a sight of storm swells.
Smita Shah had brought her two children along to show them what a cyclone meant. She said the children wanted to see the large waves and she gave in. Police, however, turned them away from the promenade and they had to leave.
At Madhavpar, police has a tough time handling visitors headed to Dwarka. On Thursday afternoon, Kiran Gupta, a resident of Ghaziabad who had come to visit Somnath, Dwarka, Sasan with his family, had ventured into the water and was brought back by police after a heated argument.
Even some 10km from Porbandar, people were seen going near the water. The Army was later deployed at the chowpatty, to maintain order.