The government sounded a red alert across the State and stepped up security measures in the wake of blasts in Hyderabad on Thursday.
Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalakrishna told The Hindu that the police heads of the districts and the commissionerates have been asked to carry out anti-sabotage checks at public places, including bus stands, railway stations and shopping malls, besides mounting a vigil.
Meanwhile, ADGP Railways K.A. Hafeez wrote to DG and IGP L. Pachau and Mr. Bipin Gopalakrishna, highlighting the lapses in his own department. He said he had visited the Bangalore City Railway Station and found that no police security was present in the control room. He also said there was no reserve police force deployed as was being claimed by Mr. Gopalakrishna.
The Bangalore city police have deployed additional forces and intensified patrolling. Barricades have been put up at the entry and exit points in the city to monitor vehicles.
Security has also been upgraded at government installations while reserve police force and special squads have been instructed to be on guard.
City Police Commissioner B. G. Jyothi Prakash Mirji said police personnel on leave have been asked to report for duty.
When asked to comment on Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s statement that intelligence alert about a possible terror strike in the country had been shared with States, Mr. Mirji said such general alerts from the Intelligence Bureau were routine and the police take necessary steps as and when they come. He refused to comment specifically on the alert shared by the Centre ahead of the blasts in Hyderabad.
