Guj police asked to remain alert on Eid & Independence Day

The Gujarat government on Friday asked the police to remain alert and enhance security to thwart any unwarranted situation in the state during the Eid and Independence Day celebrations next week, officials said.

The move comes days after the Parliament approved a resolution abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and a bill for splitting the state into two union territories.

While Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on August 12, the Independence Day is celebrated on August 15.

Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh along with state DGP Shivanand Jha on Friday held a video-conference session with top police officials, including police commissioners, district SPs and Range IGs, of the state to brief them about various security measures they are required to take during the upcoming festivals.

A senior police official said the focus of the video- conference was to increase vigil and keep a close watch on the movements near the border.

"Various heads of police have been instructed to enhance security measures and remain alert during Eid and Independence Day. We were also instructed to increase patrolling, keep watch on suspicious movements and check vehicles," said a senior police official, who attended the video conference.

He said Singh and Jha also stressed on strengthening local intelligence sources to get first-hand information about the suspicious people.

While most of the instructions were meant for the entire state, some of them were also given to the SPs and Range IGs of those districts which are along the coastline and near the Indo-Pak border.

"Bordering districts as well as those along the coastline were asked to remain extra alert as drug peddlers use those routes to smuggle narcotics into the state.

"To get first-hand information about the suspicious movements in the sea, police have been asked to remain in touch with the fishermen," the officer said on the condition of anonymity.