Tight security for I-Day
Police personnel checking luggage of passengers at the Coimbatore Railway Junction as part of the stepped up security measures for the Independence Day.In view of the 60th Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday the Coimbatore City and Rural Police have made elaborate security arrangements.A release from City Police Commissioner C.K. Gandhirajan said the security arrangements would include patrolling by 24 jeeps, 30 motorcycles and 30 bicycles and vehicles checks at 12 places covering arterial and feeder roads.Police have also established as many as 39 pickets at sensitive pockets and seven outposts. More than 1,500 police personnel would be deployed from Tuesday afternoon till Thursday morning. Security has been tightened in and around airport. Police personnel with automatic machine guns have been positioned. A team comprising 25 personnel led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police is in charge of the airport security. Security have been tightened at the railway stations and bus stands too.The Independence Day parade ground at VOC Park would be brought under tight security cover where the flag hoisting ceremony would take place at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday.More than 100 police personnel led by 11 sub-inspectors, six inspectors, three Assistant Commissioners and a Deputy Commissioner would be in charge of the security on parade ground. Sniffer dogs, anti-sabotage teams and aerial survey by binocular-wielding police personnel from high rise buildings would be part of the security arrangements.
Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore Rural District, G. Karthikeyan, said 52 check posts have been set up along the district as well as the State borders for vehicle checks. Similarly, 42 patrol vehicles are on the job of keeping vigil round-the-clock. The rural police have identified 77 pockets as sensitive and 24-hours vigil would be maintained in such pockets. As many as 86 places of worship have been provided with armed guards.The additional reinforcements from the neighbouring districts included two Additional Superintendents of Police, four Deputy Superintendents of Police, 17 Inspectors of Police, 42 Sub-inspectors and 300 police personnel. Four companies of the Tamil Nadu Special Police Battalion have been roped in.
