Other States - Uttar Pradesh   

Unprecedented security in State

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Unprecedented security was mounted in Uttar Pradesh on the eve of Independence Day with the police given strict instructions to keep a close watch on public places and vital installations besides monitoring the safe passage of the I-Day celebrations.

The State capital witnessed the heaviest security bandobast where the open square opposite Vidhan Bhavan was handed over to the security forces on Monday evening. All roads leading to Vidhan Bhavan were closed to vehicular traffic and pedestrians. Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav will unfurl the national Tricolour here on Tuesday.

Strict security will remain in place even after the Independence Day function. Additional Director-General of Police, Law and Order, Padman Singh told The Hindu: "Security is tightened as a routine on every Independence Day but some incidents in the recent past have highlighted more the security concerns.''

Security was also stepped up at all the railways stations, airports, bus stations and religious places throughout the State. Sniffer dogs were pressed into action and air and rail passengers and their luggage was thoroughly checked. Relatives and friends of the passengers were not allowed to enter the airport lounge or the railway platforms. In fact, the Charbagh railway station here wore a deserted look with the securitymen cordoning off the access to platform No. 1. Even the vast parking space wore a deserted look with no vehicles allowed to park.

A circular sent to the district police chiefs and railway police personnel by the ADG Law and Order a couple of days back asked them to review the security paraphernalia of VVIPs and conduct a thorough search at flying clubs, air strips and open spaces where hang gliders and choppers could land. The circular directed the police officials to keep a close vigil on members of fundamentalist organisations .

The police was even asked to keep a close watch on cyber cafes, PCOs and dealers in second-hand two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Mr Singh, meanwhile, dismissed reports that around 40 "fidayeen" members had entered U.P. through the porous Nepal border

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Unprecedented security in State
Students stage protests in Meerut , Agra

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu