The Hindu : RPF to deploy personnel for Mahamaham

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

RPF to deploy personnel for Mahamaham

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, FEB. 21. Even as the State Police has planned elaborate security arrangements for Mahamaham at Kumbakonam on March 6, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Tiruchi Division, has drawn up plans to step up security at stations and ensure safe, secure and comfortable journey for pilgrims coming to the town.

Besides personnel from the Tiruchi division, men and officers from different divisions including Chennai, Palakkad and Tiruvananthapuram will be deployed at Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam stations.

Initially, 1,000 RPF personnel will be deployed and a section will be involved in track patrolling and guarding bridges.

RPF sources told The Hindu yesterday that four companies of Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) would be sent for Mahamaham from February 24.

Of the four RPSF companies, two would be from Secunderabad and two from the Tiruchi Battalion. The sources said security control rooms would be established at Darasuram, Thirunageswaram and Kumbakonam stations.

Security control rooms would function round-the-clock and be manned by an inspector-level officer. The services of bomb detection and disposal squad would also be utilised. Two bomb disposal squads from Chennai and Coimbatore would be deployed at Darasuram and Kumbakonam. Dog squads from Tiruchi and the Integral Coach Factory would be pressed into service.

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