Security stepped up in northeast ahead of I-Day

Agartala/Silchar/Aizawl, Aug 14 (IANS) Ahead of the Independence Day on Thursday, security has been tightened and vigilance stepped up in the northeast, comprising eight states, according to officials on Wednesday.

"Special security measures have been taken at airports, railway stations, markets, important installations and mixed population areas," a top para-military official told IANS in Agartala.

Quick reaction teams have been kept ready in all state capitals and district headquarters. The dog and bomb squads have been maintaining vigil for the past few days.

According to Pranav Jyoti Sharma, NorthEast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relation Officer, track patrolling in vulnerable stretches has been intensified.

"Random search of passengers and their luggage is being carried out. Anti-sabotage checking with the help of sniffer dogs at stations and in trains is being conducted. Round the clock monitoring of stations and vulnerable areas is being done," the CPRO said.

A senior police official in Silchar (south Assam) said additional security forces had been deployed in the mixed and minority-dominated areas. "In view of the situation in J&K, we are extra cautious," the official said.

In Aizawl, a police official said though there was no apprehension of any breach of peace before and during the I-Day celebrations in Mizoram on Thursday, the security forces were on alert to deal with any situation.

Every year terrorist outfits give a boycott call, but this time the security agencies have no such information.

According to security officials, additional steps have been taken in view of the J&K situation. The Union Home Ministry had issued an advisory to all states following the abrogation of Article 370.