Northeast under elaborate security cover

Guwahati, Jan 25 (UNI) With a view to thwarting any eventuality and frustrating the boycott call of tomorrow's Republic Day celebration by ultra outfits, a massive security blanket has been thrown all over the Northeast.

In Assam, massive security arrangements had been made with all parade grounds being turned into virtual fortresses.

Official sources said security had been tightened at all places, especially near the vital installations, bus and railway depots and airports. The insurgent outfits, including ULFA, had already called for boycott of the Republic Day in their "ritualistic" fashion.

Checking of all vehicles and frisking of passengers had been undertaken throughout the state. Night train movement had also been suspended to avert any possible militant strike.

In Meghalaya, security measures were tightened following the boycott call by the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council(HNLC).

Central Paramilitary forces and police personnel were deployed at various places of Shillong. Police commandoes were checking all vehicles passing through the city and Meghalaya-Assam border to detect movement of insurgents, who might infiltrate in the state capital to disrupt the celebrations.

The HNLC, fighting for an "independent Hynniewtrep homeland" for some decades, had called a 24-hour bandh from 1800 hours this evening to 1800 hours tomorrow to boycott tomorrow's celebrations in Khasi and Jaintia Hills areas of the state.

BSF personnel guarding the porous Indo-Bangla border were also directed to keep an extra vigil to thwart attempts by North East-based militants to sneak into India from their hideouts in Bangladesh, he said.

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