The entire district has been thrown under a thick security blanket with over 1,200 policemen deployed to prevent untoward incidents in the wake of the apex court verdict on the Ayodhya verdict here on Saturday.
Right from early morning policemen were deployed at railway station, bus stand, religious places, vital installations and at public places across the district. Policemen were also posted at temples, mosques and at places where public gather in large numbers. Vigil has also be stepped up in certain pockets, including at Talavadi, where members of the Muslim community are present in significant numbers. Luggages of passengers entering the railway station were frisked and patrolling has been intensified in the city and at towns.
Also, vehicles entering the State through Pulinjur check-post on the Tamil Nadu – Karnataka border were checked at Hasanur and at Bannari. Policemen in plain clothes also patrolled in the city and important places to prevent untoward incidents.
Senior police officials said that normalcy prevailed throughout the day and no incidents were reported in the district. They added that security checks and monitoring of crowd movement through the closed circuit television cameras would continue.
In Salem , over 3,000 police personnel were deployed in and around the district to prevent untoward incidents.
Senior police officials here had earlier conducted communal harmony meetings with leaders of organisations from both religious groups and advised them to exercise restrain and avoid celebrations or mournings based on the verdict. Leaders were also advised not to distribute sweets, burst crackers or conduct protest meetings based on the verdict.
Police personnel were deployed at all vital installations and places where public gathered in large numbers.
City Police Commissioner T.Senthil Kumar said, “over 1,300 men were deployed in Salem city and police personnel were deployed outside vital installations and other places. Necessary precautionary measures have been taken to prevent untoward incidents.”
Salem Superintendent of Police S. Deepa Ganiger said, “police personnel were on continuous rounds in the limits and men and officers from special units were also called in for the purpose. No untoward incidents have been reported and over 1,500 men are on duty for the purpose.”
Salem Railway Division Security Commandant S. Shivasankar said that over 250 personnel from Railway Protection Force, equal numbers from Government Railway Police and local police personnel were deployed at major stations, including Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur and Karur. “Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad of the Railways and local police were utilised for surveillance and bandobust duties,” he said. He added that escorts have been given for all night trains.
