Bengaluru blast case, police ramp up security ahead of new year revelry

Bengaluru, Dec 30: Ahead of New Year revelry, security was beefed up in the city, hit by an IED blast that killed a woman and injured three others, even as a 17-year-old youth was "secured" for posting tweets claiming responsibility for the explosion and threatening more attacks.

Bengaluru central area, where much of the New Year celebrations happens and the blast occurred outside a restaurant on Church Street on Sunday, would be under thick security blanket with everyone being frisked. "Every year we make lot of police bandobast arrangements, this year also we are making and in the background of blast that took place on the Church Street we are enhancing our police bandobast," DCP Central (Bengaluru) Sandeep Patil said.

Briefing reporters, he said, "every bush, every vehicle that is parked for a long period of time, suspicious object, and suspicious people- they (police) will keep watch on all these things."M G Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, Church Street and nearby areas attract thousands of New Year revellers.

The blast triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device placed in a potted plant had occurred outside a restaurant on Church Street claiming the life of 38-year-old Bhavani who was on a visit to city from Chennai. Watch towers with two policeman in each with one equipped with night vision binocular and other with rifle would keep a watch on the crowd, besides which 25 extra CCTV cameras from our police department, apart from those of shop owners, would be installed, he said.

25 extra CCTV cameras will be installed ahead of the New Year

In addition, fire force and ambulances would be deployed as part of the security mechanism under which "everyone who comes for New Year celebrations on M G Road and Brigade Road will be thoroughly frisked," he said.

Meanwhile, police has secured a person behind the threatening tweets from a twitter account claiming responsibility for the Bengaluru blast and warning more such blasts, that is now 'suspended'. "Secured #LatestAbdul He is a 17 year old kid Satish(name changed). He seems psychologically stressed.

PTI