In search of explosives, more than 100 cops check newspaper supply vehicles in Ludhiana

On the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, the Ludhiana police conducted a search operation and stopped vehicles carrying newspapers in different areas and checked them. Apart from laying nakas at various strategic places, the police teams specifically remained present at main city points where supply vehicles usually drop newspapers.

Bomb squad and dog squad teams were also present during the checking which thoroughly scanned vehicles. Until the bomb squad team didn’t gave a clean chit, no vehicle was allowed to move.

As per the police, more than 100 cops comprising nine specially formed teams carried out checking of vehicles at various places. Some vehicles were also taken to the Kotwali police station where the same were thoroughly scanned with devices that can detect explosives. The police even forced vehicle drivers to unload stock of newspapers for through checking.

Police officials said the drive was carried out in the entire state. Additional DCP Sameer Verma said this checking started late around 11 pm and continued till 6 am in the morning. Separate teams were formed to conduct checking. Nothing illegal was found during this checking, he said. “Senior police officials also supervised the entire operation. I also remained present during the drive conducted after getting inputs that some vehicles might be used to supply arms, drugs or hawala money” said Verma.

Sources said the police teams were also present outside printing press of some vernacular newspapers to keep a tab over vehicle movement. The teams gave further inputs to other police officials about vehicles coming out of printing presses so that these could be stopped for checking at specific points in the city.