Security measures stepped up
Members of an anti-sabotage team checking luggage at the Gandhipuram bus stand in the city on Saturday.In the wake of the serial explosions in court halls in Uttarpradesh on Friday, though not driven by any ‘pointed intelligence’, the Coimbatore City Police have stepped up security measures across the City, as a precautionary measure. The measures would be in place till December 6, the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary.A detailed security scheme had been drawn up by the Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, C.K. Gandhirajan under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioners of Police, P. Sugumaran (Law and Order), P. Nagarajan (Crime), S. Manoharan (Traffic), S.V. Karuppasamy (Headquarters) and M. Balakrishnan (Armed Reserve) and each of them had been given specific tasks in all the four sub-divisions besides co-ordinating the anti-sabotage checks.On Saturday morning, the police deployed Anti-Sabotage Teams (AST) of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) of Coimbatore City Police at the bus stand, to conduct checks.
Such checks would be conducted at random at railway stations, bus stands, airports and parking areas.Two explosives sniffer dogs of the City Police dog squad Rana and Meghala are on the job of conducting anti-sabotage checks round-the-clock.Anti-sabotage checks were being carried out by a special team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Security), C. Sambasivam. Armed guards had been posted for vital installations.As many as 12 armed check posts have been strengthened on all the arterial and feeder roads.In addition to 1,000 policemen from the City Police, additional reinforcements have been drafted from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Tamil Nadu Special Police Battalion and Armed Reserve.Roads would be brought under vigil by deploying 24 jeeps on patrol duty besides 30 motor cycles and close to 40 bicycles and patrolling police personnel would be equipped with firearms and walkie-talkies to ensure instant reaction.
