Security
beefed up ahead of Republic Day
by Vikram Vishal/Bilal
Butt/Ajay Kumar
New
Delhi/Jammu/Patna: Ahead of the 57th Republic Day to
be celebrated on Thursday, January 26, elaborate security
arrangements have been made across the country to avoid
any untoward incident. National capital New Delhi has turned
into a virtual fortress as thousands of policemen keep a
hawk's eye on the city. With memories of the 29/10 triple-blasts,
which killed 66 people in the capital, still fresh, the
police are taking no chances. All entry points for the city
have been sealed and a security ring thrown around the capital.
Thousands of policemen have descended on city roads, checking
vehicles, frisking people and baggage at railway stations
and barricading important roads. The route of the Parade
has been cordoned off with police personnel maintaining
a 24-hour security.
In
Jammu, frisking of commuters coming to the city has been
stepped up and search operations have begun at various places.
But police officials said that as compared to the last few
years, they were encouraging participation of local people
without compromising on security. "This year we have relaxed
a few arrangements for the public so they can come and celebrate
the Republic Day. Generally, a feeling of a curfew-like
situation prevails and people are not allowed to come, but
despite that necessary precautions have been taken to prevent
any untoward incident," said S.P. Vaid. On Monday, security
forces achieved a major success in the state's Doda district
with the surrender of thirteen militants. The surrender
came as part of an initiative by security forces to involve
families of militants to persuade their kin to leave the
path of militancy. "These surrenders were possible largely
due to the cooperation of the families of the militants
with the security forces. They were able to convince their
boys to surrender as part of government programmes," said
P.R. Manhas, Senior Superintendent of Police of Doda. Police
said some of the militants, who belonged to the banned Hizbul
Mujahideen militant outfit, had received training in Pakistan.
Police also recovered a posse of arms and ammunition from
the surrendered militants.
In Patna, the capital of Bihar, a high alert has been sounded
amidst intelligence reports about growing activities of
militants in the State. The police headquarters in Patna
is particularly disturbed with the arrest of a quite large
number of Maoists, including those in the ranks of area
and zonal commanders, from Patna within a short span of
over a week. The police claimed some of those arrested from
the areas bordering Patna were involved in the Jehanabad
jailbreak incident. "The arrest of senior Maoists leaders
from Patna drops hints that something is cooking up. After
Jehanabad incident the militants are not limited only to
the villages but they have started trickling in to the city.
They are much more confident after the Jehanabad and Madban
incident. They want to do something big after this to attract
more people in their group. Therefore, we have deployed
CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) in Patna and QRT (Quick
Response Team) in case of any emergency," said Patna SSP
Kunda Krishnan The Bihar police was put on alert in view
of a communique from the Union Home Ministry based on intelligence
reports that jehadi mercenaries crossing over from Pakistan
into the country were likely to target vital installations
in the state on the eve of or on Republic Day.
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