Security up in Haridwar in wake of terror threat

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 4

The security has been beefed up in Haridwar post-terrorist attacks on Army base camps in Jammu and Kashmir and surgical strikes at terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

An alert has been sounded in Haridwar taking into account the terror threat and inputs from Central intelligence agencies. Checking is being done at all entry points of the district and hotels, dharamshalas, ashrams, guest houses and lodges are being searched as a precautionary measure. They have also been directed to ensure submission of identity proof, telephone number of customers, pilgrims and tourists.

The sanctum sanctorum of Har-ki-Pauri, Ganga ghats, important shrines, railway station, bus station, Army Cantonment area, Roorkee, Bengal Engineers Sappers BEG-Army campus, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Central Building Research Institute and other important government buildings and sensitive places have also been put under heavy security cover.

SP Manikant Mishra said as per inputs from Central agencies, an alert has been issued, with additional deployment of security forces done at sensitive places and border points of the Haridwar district with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh as well as entry points of neighbouring districts of Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal.

“On the directives of Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Swarup, we are carrying out intense checking drive, patrolling and round-the-clock CCTV footages monitoring of sensitive places prone to terror strikes. All the station house officers (SHOs), intelligence wing sleuths and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been given requisite directives in this regard,” said Mishra.

Bomb disposal squad, sniffer dog squad, mounted cavalry squad, fire fighter squad and snipers have also been mobilised in wake of the terror threat perception.

Live CCTV footages are being monitored round the clock from August Kranti Kumbh Mela control room near Har-ki-Pauri, the SP added.