Republic Day: Red alert sounded in Punjab, security tightened in Haryana

PTI

Chandigarh, January 25

A red alert was sounded across Punjab and all interstate boundaries sealed on Wednesday to ensure foolproof security for Republic Day, while sniffer dog units and bomb disposal squads sanitised vulnerable places in neighbouring Haryana, officials said.

Vehicles entering the two states are being thoroughly checked. Police personnel are keeping a close vigil at sensitive locations to maintain law and order ahead of the Republic Day celebrations on Thursday, they said.

On the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, a red alert has been sounded across Punjab to ensure peaceful Republic Day celebrations in the border state, an official statement said.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav reviewed the security arrangements with all commissioners and senior superintendents of police and asked the district heads to ensure foolproof security in their respective jurisdictions, it said.

The DGP also asked all station house officers (SHOs) and gazetted officers to remain in the field till the culmination of Republic Day events.

He said senior officers from Chandigarh have also been deputed to review security arrangements in important districts of Punjab and additional forces deployed in sensitive pockets.

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwari Lal Purohit will unfurl the tricolour at a state-level function in Jalandhar on Thursday and Chief Minister Mann will hoist the national flag in Bathinda.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, Arpit Shukla, who is camping in Jalandhar, said the DGP has ordered extensive checking of vehicles and suspicious people.

All the interstate and inter-district boundaries in Punjab have been sealed, he added.

He also urged the people of the state to remain alert and immediately report anything suspicious to the police on helpline numbers 112 and 118.

Recently, Punjab Police conducted a special operation—‘OPs Eagle-II’—against criminal and anti-social elements on the directions of DGP Yadav.

Cordon and search operations (CASO) were carried out at vulnerable places including railway stations and bus stands across the state with additional director general of police and inspector general of police rank officers deputed to personally supervise them.

In Haryana, sniffer dog units and bomb disposal squads sanitised vulnerable places, the officials said.

The state-level Republic Day celebrations will be organised at Thanesar in Kurukshetra where Governor Bandaru Dattatreya will unfurl the national flag.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will unfurl the national flag in Jagadhri in Yamunanagar.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and Home Minister Anil Vij will hoist the Tricolour in Hisar, Panchkula and Ambala, respectively.