Security has been tightened in the city in view of Onam celebrations, G. Sparjankumar, Commissioner of Police, Kozhikode City, told The Hindu on Saturday.
He said 60 police personnel had been drawn from the armed reserve camp and deployed on special duty to assist the local police in maintaining law and order as well as manning the traffic.
Civil police officers had been posted in plainclothes at various points to work as eyes and ears for the police control room. They would keep surveillance at busy shopping complexes and commercial streets, give inputs on criminal gangs operating in and outside the district, convicts released after serving their term, drug pushers, suspected religious groups, fundamentalist outfits, and anti-national organisations.
The police had been put on high alert in crowded localities such as Sweet Meat Street, Mavoor Road, Pavamani Road and the Kozhikode beach area.
The Commissioner said Shadow police team would also provide inputs and assistance to the local police. Squads would be stationed at Palayam and the Mofussil bus stations and railway stations here.
Night patrolling would be strengthened. Vehicles would be checked at eight outposts bordering the city limits, he added.
Mobile teams
The police had also deployed nine flying squads and 25 mobile teams. Traffic violations such as drunk driving and speeding would be dealt with strictly as per the law, the City Police Commissioner said.
Those on surveillance duty had been equipped with mobile phones and wireless sets. The Commissioner sought the cooperation of the residents to prevent burglaries in houses during Onam holidays.
The existing Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled vehicles would assist them to keep a 24-hour tab on all activities in the city, Mr. Sparjankumar said.
Safety tips
The police have requested families going on vacation to take basic precautions such as informing their neighbours and the representatives of the residents’ associations. They can inform the police station or the beat of the Janamaithri Police (community policing system).
He said holiday-goers should ensure that milk packets and newspapers were not left outside the house in their absence.
As far as possible, they should avail themselves of the bank-locker facility to keep gold ornaments and cash, Mr. Sparjankumar said.
Residents’ associations should inform the police control room or police station if strangers were found moving in a suspicious manner in their neighbourhood.
