Security up in TN for Ganesh idol immersion

Chennai, Sep 22 (UNI) More than 1,000 people, were arrested as a precautionary measure, and unprecedented security arrangements have been put in place for immersion of Ganesh idols in various parts of the city tomorrow.

Police sources said more than 5,000 personnel would be deployed at all important places in the city, from where the idol immersion procession would begin and culminate in the sea.

Chennai City Police Commissioner Nanchil Kumaran said about 30 routes were identified for the procession and the idols would be immersed at six places in the city -- Foreshore Estate, Kasimedu Fishing Harbour, Tiruvotriyur Popular Weigh Bridge, Universal Carborandum at Tiruvotriyur, Palgalai Nagar at Neelankarai and Ennore Ramakrishna Nagar.

Various Hindu organisations, which had installed more than 1000 idols in the city, were instructed not to raise any controversial slogans.

Policemen and Friends of Police on duty were given instructions to manage the crowd and the Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and seven other police officers would oversee the security arrangements.

State DGP P Rajendran said additional policemen, including 20 companies of Tamil Nadu Special Police and one company of Commando Force, would also be deployed on security duty. Anti-sabotage teams and sniffer dogs would be pressed into service on the procession routes.

Video-cameras and closed circuit TVs were set up at all strategic points to cover the procession and cranes were stationed at different locations for idol immersion.

Meanwhile, in a night-long crackdown, police arrested nearly 1,000 people as a preventive measure. Of them 114 were rowdies, 129 old criminals, 56 wanted criminals. While several of them were let off wih a warning, the anti-socials were arrested.

UNI