Agartala/Silchar, Oct 2 (IANS) As Durga Puja fervour Sunday gripped Tripura and Assam with colourful and artistic marquees and prayers amid beating of drums, police heightened security to maintain safety during the festival.
‘The Border Security Force has been asked to maintain a close watch on the India-Bangladesh border to prevent any trans-border movement and to ensure the festival is free of any untoward incident,’ Deputy Inspector General of Police Nepal Das told reporters in Agartala.
Over 20,000 security personnel and quick reaction teams besides bomb and dog squads have been deployed in Tripura for the five-day festival that began with the ‘Bodhan’ – the welcoming of the Durga idols.
Equipped with sophisticated arms and binoculars, security personnel were positioned in several watch-towers.
‘Counter-insurgency operation against the outlawed militants would be intensified by Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Tripura State Rifles in the terrorist prone areas,’ Das said.
‘Intelligence networks have been activated. Police pickets and mobile and foot patrolling would be conducted,’ the officer stated.
With a little increase over last year, at least 2,080 community Durga Pujas have been organised in Tripura.
Many CCTVs have been installed at sensitive locations.
People at big puja venues will have to pass through metal detectors.
‘Unlike previous years, there are no reports about tribal guerrillas creating problems or asking people not to organise the puja,’ Das said.
Despite incidents in the past when rebels targeted Hindus for celebrating religious festivals, pujas are being organised in about 300 tribal and extremist-prone areas this year, he said.
For uninterrupted power supply, Tripura is importing electricity from neighbouring Mizoram and Meghalaya.
Security was also further tightened in southern Assam dominated by Bengalis.
‘Besides strengthening of normal security, movement of trains will also be monitored in southern Assam,’ a police officer told reporters at Silchar.
