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Security beefed up in north-east for I-Day

Authorities today threw a massive security blanket over the north-east following militant organisations' threat to disrupt the 52nd Independence Day celebrations.

Official sources said seven insurgent groups, including the banned United Liberation Front of Asom, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and NSCN-K had called a region-wide bandh from midnight tonight and urged the people to boycott the celebrations.

The sources said army helicopters had been deployed to maintain surveillance on roads, railway tracks and vital installations in Assam and adjoining areas. Besides Assam, the governments of Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur had put the security forces on maximum alert in view of the militants' threat and the bandh call.

The sources said the insurgent outfits, in active connivance with Pakistan's ISI, had been targetting the surface transport, vital installations and security forces. At least 25 people, including security personnel, were killed in these attacks.

Nagaland inspector general of police (range) N N Walling said foolproof security arrangements had been made throughout the state for the Independence Day celebrations. Police and para-military forces were on round-the-clock patrol in all sensitive places.

Police with bomb detectors and sniffer dogs had been checking vulnerable areas, specially roads through which the VIPs would travel and the places of celebrations. Plainclothes policemen were also deployed to maintain a strict vigil. Frisking of vehicles and checking were also intensified, he added.

In Tripura, top police and para-military officials, including the DIG K T D Singh, supervised the anti-insurgency operations and other arrangements. In Meghalaya, apart from strict vigil, the district administration in Shillong promulgated prohibitory orders in view of the underground Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council call for a 36-hour state bandh beginning at 1700 hours today.

Security measures were beefed up in Manipur in view of militants' threat to disrupt tomorrow's celebrations.

UNI

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