High alert in Haridwar after input on terror attack

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 19

The Ardh Kumbh mela force is taking all security measures following intelligence inputs that terrorists may target Haridwar.

Personnel of the Uttarakhand Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB), Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed in the entire mela zone that has turned into a fortress. Besides, squads of bomb disposal, sniffer dogs, mounted cavalry, intelligence sleuths in plain clothes, and commandos have been deployed at strategic points.

Meanwhile, the Haridwar police and the mela force conducted a mass checking drive in congested Shravan Nath Nagar, Shiv Moorti Chowk, Jassa Ram Road and the Ganesh Ghat stretch today. The teams led by Haridwar SSP D Senthil Abudai Krishan Prakash along with ASP, Ardh Kumbh, Mani Kant Mishra, checked dharamshalas, ashrams, hotels and guest houses.

IGP, Ardh Kumbh Force, Ganesh Singh Martolia, told The Tribune that besides on festive baths, surveillance by unmanned drones was also being done on normal days to ensure foolproof security post-terror attack on the Pathankhot airbase.

Martolia added he was assessing the agility of the mela police regularly. From the close circuit television camera (CCTV) cell at the Mela Bhawan, Martolia routinely checks the locations of the Ardh Kumbh police officials.

Meanwhile, the checking of vehicles has been intensified on the national highways 58 and 72 leading towards Har-ki-Pauri. SP (Traffic), Ardh Kumbh Force, Shweta Chaubey, said they were regularly checking vehicles in the mela zone. “All types of vehicles are being checked as we don’t want to take any chances with security. We are also holding an awareness drive to encourage local people, traders, saints, pilgrims and tourists to inform the mela force immediately if they notice a suspicious object or person. We are showing an audio visual documentary film regarding terrorist movement and planting of bombs by them and how a common man can identify and foil the plans of terrorists,” said Shweta.

Additional watch towers are being set up where sniper commandos will be deployed in the Har-ki-Pauri mela zone round the clock. A heavy deployment of paramilitary forces has been done at important shrines and public places. At the Mela Bhawan, a separate cell is maintaining regular contact with the police of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana about intelligence inputs and traffic movement.