Security beefed up in UP for Republic Day

Lucknow, Jan 25: Close on the heels of serial bomb blasts in three court premises of the state, security across Uttar Pradesh has been beefed up ahead of Republic Day celebrations.

Police said here that unprecedented security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful R-Day celebrations in the state. Police have deployed additional Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) companies at sensitive places to thwart any attempt to create disturbances. Police dog squads and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads (BDDS) were carrying out random checks to detect and diffuse explosives planted by terrorists.

Special security drive is being undertaken at all the railway stations and important trains passing through the state. Police patrolling has been intensified in the communally sensitive pockets while special security has been made at all the markets, shopping malls, cinema halls and other busy places of the state.

The serial bomb blasts in the civil court premises of Lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi in November last year have remained a constant source of worry for police personnel in the state. Police watchers in civil clothes would keep a hawk eye on possible trouble makers.

Security at the Mathura oil refinery has been tightened following fears that strategic installations could be targetted during Republic Day.

During a quarterly security review meeting on Wednesday, officials from Intelligence Bureau, CRP, CISF and local police had decided to tighten arrangements around Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura and Taj Mahal in Agra.

Besides, security along the 391 km long international border with Nepal in Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Balrampur, Shravasti and Bahraich districts of the state has also been beefed up.

Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB) DIG Pradeep Gupta in Siddharthnagar said sniffer dogs and additional forces had been kept ona standby.

UNI