Massive security for death anniversary of Immanuel Sekaran

Inspector General of Police (south zone) reviews arrangements

Ramanathapuram

Inspector General of Police (south zone) K.P. Shanmuga Rajeswaran reviewed the security arrangements on Sunday as the district police threw a massive security cordon, deploying about 5,000 police personnel for the peaceful conduct of the 61st death anniversary of Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran on September 11.

Mr. Rajeswaran, who had inspected the traffic arrangements, the banned routes and the parking bays, reviewed the security arrangements with Deputy Inspector General of police (Ramanathapuram range) N. Kamini, Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena and senior officials at a private mahal in Paramakudi and instructed the officials to plug all loopholes and ensure the event passed off peacefully.

Deployment of police force, drawn from other districts, has begun and they would take positions from Monday morning onwards, Mr Omprakash Meena said. Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Vijay Kumar is likely to review and fine-tune the security arrangements on Monday, police said.

The district would be divided into different zones and at least three IGs, five DIGs, 17 SPs, 18 ADSPs and 45 DSPs would be officers in-charge at various levels, police said.

Apart from usual strength, dog squads, bomb disposal and anti-sabotage squads were pressed into service. The police installed about 60 CCTV cameras in the town to monitor the vehicle and crowd movements through the digital eyes.

Security at the memorial site has been beefed up with the introduction of Portable Surveillance Video Transmitting System (PSVTS) to provide ‘live telecast’ of the happenings. Top police officials could access the telecast in their mobile phones.

The police divided the district into 10 sectors and entrusted each sector to an officer in the rank of SP. Three SPs would be in-charge of the sensitive five-point junction and the memorial site. Picketing has been posted in all the banned routes and check-posts in the district borders have been activated.

The district administration after promulgating the prohibitory order, banned all types of hired vehicles from carrying volunteers to the memorial. Mulaipari and milk pot processions, carrying of ‘jothis’ and erection of banners were allowed only in the town that too after obtaining prior permission.