Kerala - Kochi   

Security strengthened in city

KOCHI: Police presence will be increased at places in the city where crowds gather. This decision was taken at a meeting of police officials in the district convened by the Inspector General of Police, Ernakulam Range, Vinson M. Paul on Sunday, to review the security arrangements in the light of the serial blasts at Bangalore and Ahmedabad within the last two days and the enhanced threat perception to the State.

There was an intelligence report that similar incidents might happen in the State as well.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham, Deputy City Police Commissioner T. Vikram, and Dy.SPs and Circle Inspectors in the Ernakulam Range attended the meeting. It was also decided to strengthen shadow policing in the city. Security at places like bus stands and railway stations as well as strategic installations in the city will be increased. Other crowded areas like cinema theatres, shopping centres and parks will be closely screened. Vehicles parked in the city will be monitored, said senior police officials.

The police will be monitoring telephone numbers found suspicious. Surveillance of lodges and hotels in the city is on. Bomb and dog squads have been put on high alert.

Even though, the drill is on throughout the State, city has been given a special accent, given its floating population and commercial importance.

More than 2,000 police personnel and officers have already been pressed into conducting security checks in the Kochi City areas and vulnerable spots identified in the city’s suburbs. A senior police official said that several squads of police personnel and dog squads have been around the city since early morning on Sunday conducting elaborate checks to ensure safety to the public.

To avoid any risks, cinema halls in the city had been advised to cancel the first and second night shows on Sunday.

Movie theatres have been asked not to permit viewers to take bags into the halls. Police personnel have been deployed in areas that are identified as vulnerable to keep a lookout.

The dog squads checked several places where there are large gatherings. Infopark in Kakkanad, hospitals and theatre complexes came for special scrutiny.

Thorough checks were conducted at the KSRTC bus station in the city and at the railway stations among other places. According to police sources, police personnel on leave have been called back to attend to the emergency-like situation.

Since offices and establishments where the public gather in large numbers were closed on Sunday the job of the police was significantly easier. From Monday checking will be conducted in office spaces too, it is learnt.

The heightened security alert in the city and suburbs in the wake of bomb threats would continue for another three or four days, Mr. Paul said while talking to The Hindu.

“But there is no reason for people to panic and move out of the city. Members of the public must immediately alert the police about suspicious objects, baggage and people in their locality. Shop owners have been asked to keep a lookout for baggage and covers found under suspicious circumstances in their premises,” he said.

A police team led by Mr Paul and Mr. Abraham went around the Marine Drive area in the evening, to reassure people of the police presence

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

Stories in this Section

Clemency granted
Centre to meet Kuttanad package expenses: Ravi
Preparations on for Volvo Ocean Race
Pastoral council appeal
School team for Singapore school notes
Flood control measures
Bhoothathankettu getting ready to welcome tourists
Abhilash to be back soon
A sigh of relief at South Station
Songs competition on Sree Krishnajayanthi
PMK meeting held
Sadhana Day
Woman dies in accident
Bomb hoax: one held
Security strengthened in city
In Kochi Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu