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Security beefed up in Northern States

Railway cops search trains in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh: Security has been strengthened at vital installations in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh ahead of Independence Day celebrations, officials said on Sunday.

Security personnel have been deployed in strength at vital installations, including railway stations, bus terminus, airports and telephone exchanges in the region besides setting up of checkpoints to keep a vigil on the movement of vehicles and people, they said.

Vigil on incoming vehicles at inter-state borders at various places has been stepped up. Both Punjab and Haryana have put their security apparatus on alert following the advisory issued by the Centre, they said.

Phagwara: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the General Railway Police (GRP) of Punjab and Haryana have intensified security at railway stations and trains to thwart possible strikes by terrorists in the run-up to Independence Day and Janamashtami.

In a major operation, the RPF and GRP searched a number of trains running on all the main sections in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday and Sunday morning. The search parties paid particular attention to trains coming from or terminating at Jammu.

``The searches are part of the preventive steps in view of Independence Day'', Punjab GRP IG R. P. Meena told UNI. Mr Meena himself reviewed the security arrangements at the busy Ludhiana railway station.

He said the GRP and RPF conducted searches on the Amritsar-Jalandhar, Jalandhar-Ludhiana, Jalandhar-Pathankot, Amritsar-Pathankot and various others sections in Punjab. ``No objectionable material or object was found during the searches and no one arrested,'' he added.

The IG said that panic was created at the Ludhiana Railway Station when someone reported an unclaimed bag lying in the ladies compartment of the Amritsar-bound Chhattisgarh Express. Poppy husk was recovered from the bag, but no one was arrested, he added.

Mr Meena said security had been stepped-up at all railway stations and along rail tracks in the Ferozpur railway division, particularly at Pathankot.

In Haryana, the RPF and GRP jointly conducted search of the Malwa Express, bound for Jammu on the outskirts of Ambala Cantonment on Saturday. About 100 security personnel were involved in this search operation. Dog squads were also pressed into service to sniff for explosive material.

Strict vigil

Lucknow: Already in a state of alert in view of the threat perception in the country, security has been further tightened at the railway station here. A strict vigil was being maintained at the Charbagh railway station and the luggage was being subjected to intensive checking, officials told PTI. Passengers have been advised to reach an hour before the scheduled arrivals of their trains, they said adding all the leave of the GRP personnel had been cancelled.

Bihar alert

Patna: The Bihar Government has made elaborate security arrangements and sounded an alert across the State ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.

Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Anil Sinha said here on Sunday that all necessary directions had been issued to the district administration.

PTI/UNI

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