Security across states following Malegaon blasts

New Delhi, Sept 8: Security was stepped up across the country following the twin bomb blasts in Malegaon in north-western Maharashtra this afternoon, nearly two months after the Mumbai serial blasts, killing at least 38 people and wounding over 150.

The blasts occured at Bada Kabristan (graveyard) and Mushrawat Chowk, in a radius of one km, in the old town when at least 2,000 people had assembled at Fateh Maidan adjoining the Kabirstan to remember their dead relatives on the occasion of 'Shab-e-Barat', considered holy under Islam.

In Aurangabad, (Maharashtra), security was tightened in and around the city in the backdrop of the blasts. However, Aurangabad Police Commissioner, Uddhav Kamble told sources, ''The situation in the city is totally peacefull and security has been stepped up as a precautionary measure.

In the national capital here, high alert was sounded and the security stepped up at all strategic points.

A state of high alert has been sounded in Delhi and security at religious places, crowded markets, railway stations and specially at metro stations has been beefed up, Additional Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak told sources.

''Following the blasts in Maharashtra, security has been increased at all strategic locations in Delhi with specific instructions to look for suspicious persons and objects,'' he said.

Sources also said 'dog squads' have been sent to market places and railway stations and the 'bomb squad' alerted for any exigency.

Additional forces have also been sent to crowded areas like shopping complexes, cinema halls, and temples, he added.

Similarly in Gujarat, special security arrangements had also been made in and around vital installations like power stations, dams and industrial complexes.

In Karnataka, high security alert was sounded and thorough checks carried out at all entry and exit points to avoid anti-social elements from entering the state.

Tamil Nadu also witnessed deployment of heavy security and additional forces were deployed in all the places, especially at the famed Hindu temples of the state.

In Tiruchirapalli, security was tightened in the historic temples, important churches, mosques, railway stations and other vital installations.

An alert was sounded in Madhya Pradesh's areas bordering Maharashtra. Vehicles coming from that state into Badwani, Khargone, Khandwa and Burhanpur districts were being checked and patrolling stepped up in townships.

As per reports from Uttar Pradesh, police patrolling in sensitive areas had been tightened with authorities keeping close watch on on the activities of anti-social elements, according to State Home department officials.

Similarly, security was alerted in the border districts of Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepur and the National Capital Region (NCR) of Haryana in Punjab.

UNI

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