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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Special security arrangement for Pujas

Special security arrangement for Pujas
Express News Service Posted: Oct 01, 2008 at 0321 hrs IST

Kolkata, September 30 Considering a series of terror attacks over the last two weeks in different parts of the country, the state government will step up security during the Durga Puja festival.

Home Secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said: “Several incidents of terrorist attacks have been reported recently. To ensure proper security, we seek to bring managing committees of Puja, their volunteers and the police on a common platform in Kolkata and neighbouring districts of North and South 24 Parganas where the Puja pandals draw huge crowds.”

He was speaking after a high-level security meeting held at Lalbazar on Tuesday. Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti said the police were looking at ways to plug possible loopholes that terror elements may take advantage of.

The home secretary added that while many close-circuit TV cameras and surveillance equipment are being installed at the pandals, there are plans to erect watchtowers near pandals.

“These watchtowers would be manned by the police and pandal volunteers. It may not be possible to screen every visitor to the city during the Pujas, but volunteers have been asked to stay alert. We have also planned to reserve beds in key hospitals in case a terror attack takes place,” he added.

The meeting was attended by Director General of Police, Inspector General of Police (South Bengal), DMs and SPs of North and South 24 Parganas, top officials from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and health and fire department.

Ever since the blasts in Delhi a fortnight ago, the city has seen a series of bomb scares that later proved to be hoaxes. source: http://www.expressindia.com


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