Security beefed up on UP-Nepal border for Ayodhya event

Lucknow, August 5

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The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Uttar Pradesh police have intensified patrolling along the 551 km-long India-Nepal border, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Ayodhya for Ram Temple “bhoomi poojan” on Wednesday.

According to senior police officers, a tight vigil is being maintained on the movement along the border, and people living in villages adjoining the border have been asked to alert security officials if they come across any suspicious activity or element in their area.

The security arrangements across the state, especially in Ayodhya and on the Indo-Nepal border, has been beefed up after intelligence agencies warned of a possible terror attack in August.

Also read: PM Modi lands in Lucknow en route Ayodhya to lay foundation stone of Ram temple

The Pilibhit police has installed five barriers at different checking points along the 56 km-long Indo-Nepal border in the district to prevent infiltration bid by anti-social elements in the Indian territory.

An additional barricade has been erected on the Pilibhit-Lucknow highway for checking of suspicious vehicles.

Rajesh Pandey, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Bareilly range, who has been camping in Pilibhit for the past three days, said: “I have been monitoring policing during Eid and Raksha Bandhan and I also have held the string of security and vigilance since Tuesday considering the high-profile ceremony in Ayodhya.”

He added: “I have patrolled the Indo-Nepal border stretch in the district along with police force and the SSB to take stock of the security arrangements and vigilance.” Orders had been issued to take into custody any person who appeared suspicious, the DIG added.

Pilibhit Superintendent of Police (SP) Jai Prakash Yadav said: “We will not allow any foreigner to go Ayodhya via Pilibhit without an authorised invitation. Policemen in civil dresses have been deployed in border villages to keep a tab on activities there while barricades have been erected on roads leading to Nepal and Uttarakhand for checking vehicles and identification of people.”

Both, police and the SSB personnel, deployed on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur, are also keeping a vigil on the movement of people while forest officials have been asked to remain vigilant and share information with security agencies if they find any suspicious movement in the forest area.

Lakhimpur ASP Arun Kumar Singh said: “Local police are in regular touch with the SSB and are even carrying out joint patrolling in the border areas. Following a security alert ahead of the ceremony in Ayodhya, the district borders have been sealed and the duty hours of policemen extended until the function gets over.” IANS