PUNE: The Pune Rural Police have set up a special branch for intelligence gathering to ensure law and order and avoid incidents like caste clashes, which took place earlier this year at Koregaon Bhima At least 25 experienced police personnel have been attached to the branch.They have been trained at Maharashtra Intelligence Academy in Ramtekdi. The team's mandate is to gather village-level intelligence and pass on the same to higher-ups.Superintendent of Police (SP) Sandeep Patil , who shortlisted the personnel based on their service records, told TOI, "Our aim is to strengthen our intelligence gathering capacity and understand socio-political interference not only at tehsils but also in villages. This exercise will help us to take preventive action in the district."Out of 25, four personnel have been attached to Shikrapur Police Station. "We need to beef up intelligence gathering in and around Koregaon Bhima villages to avoid communal clashes in future. These personnel will work in tandem with the local police station too but they will directly report to the higher-ups at the rural headquarters," Patil added.Another senior police officer said, "Two groups in and around Koregaon Bhima are still at loggerheads with each other. There activities are objectionable and, hence, we need to keep a close tab on them to thwart possible law and order issue."

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