In an overdrive ahead of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's rally on November 17 the city police are doing a background check of people who have taken up houses on rent in and around Bangalore in the last two months.
Teams from different stations are carrying out random checks of tenants who have moved in over the last two months.
Residents of Mubarak Mohalla in J.C. Nagar, situated close to Palace Grounds — venue of Mr Modi’s rally — were shocked when a police team conducted door to door verification of tenants who had moved in recently.
“We have been directed by our Commissioner to verify tenants’ antecedents in our jurisdictions. This has been happening for the last four days,” said a police officer, adding that in addition to this security had been stepped up in areas around the venue of the public meeting.
Hotels, lodges, restaurants, hostels and paying guest accommodations in and around the city are under scrutiny, a senior officer said. He added that the police have been asked to conduct random checks.
Rounded up
Apart from an eye on the entry and exit points at public places, the city police have also taken up precautionary measures and rounded up anti-social elements and kept them under preventive detention.
Also, other elements, who are reformed, have been summoned for being questioned about their activities. This would instil fear among the anti-social elements and stop them from taking up crime, a senior police officer, who is part of the preventive measures, told The Hindu .
Police personnel on duty at Palace grounds would also be issued special passes.
These are required even for the police to enter the venue.
City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said the police had taken up more security measures but declined to give details.
