Hearing on the sentences begings tomorrow
With the Special Court scheduled to begin tomorrow the hearing on the sentences on 153 convicts in the 1998 serial blasts here, the city would be under tight security cordon.The city Police Commissioner, C. K. Gandhirajan, held a meeting of police officers and reviewed the arrangements yesterday and discussed the strategy to step up the security when the judge, K Uthirapathy, was to start pronouncing the verdict.As the court would commence the hearing of arguments on the sentences by the defence counsel from tomorrow, the awarding of sentence was likely to begin from Aug 16 and police would step up security from Aug 13, police sources said.The judge was also likely to take up the bail applications moved by 84 undertrials, who were not proved guilty of major charges, including criminal conspiracy, murder or spreading communal hatred.Though there were no specific threats or attempts from any outfit to stage demonstrations or protests so far, police were not taking any chance and were 'ready and alert' to prevent any untoward incident or meet any eventuality, they said.
Besides additional pickets on arterial roads and district borders, security would be strengthened at airport, railway stations, bus stands and places of large public concentration.Vehicle checking would be intensified, with frisking and screening of passengers and luggages at railway stations and bus stands. Places of worship would also be under tight vigil, the sources said.
