Extra vigil throughout Panchkula

PANCHKULA, July 2: The Panchkula police has taken special steps to avoid any untoward incident in the district and has beefed up the secu...

PANCHKULA, July 2: The Panchkula police has taken special steps to avoid any untoward incident in the district and has beefed up the security following the bomb blast in Sector 34, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. A red alert, meanwhile, had been sounded on the same day.

Talking to Newsline today, Superintendent of Police Alok Mittal said the police was taking extra precautions at all possible terrorist targets in the district. A special force, constituting police personnel in plainclothes, has been formed to take care of the crowded places, he said. This team will keep an eye on suspicious people or objects and also patrol the Kisan Mandis held throughout the week in different sectors of the district.

These police personnel patrolling the area will be equipped with Hand Held Metal Detectors HHMDs and will be authorised to check any suspicious looking person.

Also such patrolling will be done at all the crowded places like markets, cinema halls and check will be maintained on the vehicles parked at crowded places. Police will maintain strict round-the-clock vigil on the railway track falling in the district since the trains are prone to terrorist attacks.

The SP claimed that a metal detector has also been installed at the main entrance of the Mini Secretariat building in Sector 1, here, which houses all the important district-level offices. However, when this reporter visited the place no police personnel was found at the place where the metal detector is installed. The police also plans to install a similar metal detector at the Mansa Devi Complex.

A vigil is being maintained at the bus stands in Kalka, Pinjore and Panchkula and all the buses entering and leaving Panchkula are being checked by personnel of the specially formed Anti Extremist Cell. The police has set up nakas at all entry points to check the vehicles entering the district. Besides, checking is also being done within the city.

The SP said a house to house checking squad has been formed with the authority to check residences, especially those having tenants.At the annual Mango Festival starting at the Yadvindra Gardens in Pinjore from tomorrow, the police has kept a single entry point to ensure proper checking of the people visiting the festival. As large crowds are expected, the police has installed a metal detector at the entry point. Police personnel in plainclothes will be keeping a strict vigil all through the two-day festival.