Kerala - Kozhikode   

Security shored up for Advani’s visit

Kozhikode: The city has been put under a heightened security cover in connection with the visit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani here on Tuesday. Over 900 police personnel drawn from northern districts have been deployed for duty.

Apart from the Kozhikode City Commissioner of Police Anup Kuruvilla John, five Superintendents of Police, 20 Deputy Superintendents of Police, 40 Circle Inspectors, and 140 Sub Inspectors have been fully engaged with the security measures for the past couple of days. State and Central commando forces are in the city.

The Anti-Sabotage Squad, Bomb Disposal Squad and Dog Squad have been pressed into service.

The unprecedented and elaborate security has been taken considering the extremist threat perception to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Mr. Advani, who is visiting Kozhikode after a gap of 13 years, is on the hit list of several Muslim outfits and ultra-left Maoist groups, a senior officer said.

The police have cordoned off the three venues of his functions since Monday afternoon.

A rehearsal of the security arrangement was conducted on Kannur Road to P.T. Usha Road, Red Cross Road and the Beach road. Police personnel have been deployed in some of the high-rise buildings in and around these areas.

Mr. Advani will reach Vikram Maidan at West Hill here at 9.30 a.m. in a specially arranged helicopter from Kasaragod. He will stay at Taj Residency (Gateway).

The BJP leader will present the V.M. Korath Memorial Award instituted by the Tapasya Kala-Sahitya Vedi to veteran journalist M.V. Kamath at Tagore Centenary Hall at 11 a.m.

He will attend a meeting of the State office-bearers of the BJP at Taj Residency at 3 p.m. He will address a public meeting of the party on the Kozhikode beach at 5 p.m. The public meeting is being organised as part of the ‘Vijayasankalp yatra’ of party in the country. He will travel by road to the Karipur airport and fly to New Delhi at 8 p.m.

Officers said that surveillance had also been stepped up in connection with Mr. Advani’s one-day programme. Vehicles are being checked at border points.

All hotels and lodges are being searched and suspicious persons taken into custody for questioning.

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