Anticipating a huge turnout of devotees for the annual Velankanni church festival, the police have stepped up the vigil.
In addition to utilising strength from Nagapattinam district where Velankanni is situated, personnel from other districts falling under the Central zone have been drawn to augment manpower.
A comprehensive security scheme has been drafted for the 11-day festival which attracts devotees from various parts of the country.
The festival begins on August 29 with the hoisting of the holy flag and culminates on September 8.
The police sources said over 1,700 police personnel would be deployed at different places in the town, regulate movements of devotees thronging the town, and traffic movements. Personnel from the Armed Reserve and Tamil Nadu Special Police have been drawn as part of the security scheme.
Anti-sabotage and crime teams would be positioned at vantage places. Closed circuit television units had been installed at various places near the shrine and its vicinity to keep a close vigil. Five watch towers had been erected in the town, police sources said.
Three Superintendents of Police would monitor the security arrangements in the town and its vicinity. Police personnel were deployed on Thursday on the eve of the commencement of the festival.
In addition to police personnel from various districts, the Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have been posted in Velankanni.
Around 150 RPF personnel from Tiruchi, Chennai, Salem, Madurai, Palakkad, and Thiruvananthapuram railway divisions have been deployed at Nagapattinam and Velankanni, railway sources said. The RPF has sent its Bomb Detection Squad and its detective dog squad to Velankanni.
The RPF personnel would be involved in regulating crowd movements and escorting trains up to the limits of Tiruchi Railway Division.
Closed circuit television cameras have been installed on a temporary basis at Velankanni railway station.
A senior RPF officer said five cameras had been installed at the station’s portico, platform, and footbridge.
