Hyderabad Blasts: NE on security alert; terror looms large

Guwahati, Feb 26: Northeast India is not new to terror strikes. But, of late peace is prevailing in the region. However, in the wake of twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad, the entire region has been put under alert.

Moreover, recently three states of Northeast--Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland-have voted for assembly elections. Counting of vote for the three states is slated on Feb 28.

The Union ministry of home affairs had put all the states on alert following the bicycle blasts in which 16 people died and 117 others were injured in Hyderabad.

"There is nothing specific, but the ministry has put all the state police under general alert after what had happened in Hyderabad," Meghalaya inspector-general of police (operations) G.H.P. Raju told.

Following the directive, crowded areas across Northeast, have been kept under surveillance.

Moreover, a bomb has been defused outside IOC refinery in Assam on Tuesday, Feb 26. The powerful country-made bomb was recovered from a bag near the main gate of the Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) oil refinery.

The bomb was kept in a bag in front of the gate of the refinery in Noonmati area of the city, police said. Bomb disposal squad safely defused it, they said.

Sources say all the three states have increased vigil on international and inter-state borders.

"Security along the borders will be further tightened in view of the counting of votes," an election commission official. There is a directive from the union home ministry asking the states to take steps to seal the international border by deploying additional Border Security Force and Assam Rifles troopers.

Assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, having 60 seats each, were held on February 14 (in Tripura) and February 23.

OneIndia News