With intelligence agencies already sounded an alert, state government issued necessary directives to respective district authorities asking them to maintain strict vigil on the occasion of Christmas as well as New Year celebrations.
``All the district magistrates and police chiefs have been directed to maintain utmost vigil in view of Christmas and New Year festivities, especially in and around Churches and other Christian installations, IG law and Order, A Satish Ganesh told reporters here on Wednesdayevening. As a large number of people gather around Churches on Christman eve, orders have been issued to maintain vigil in order to ward off any untoward incident, the IG said.
Similar directives have been issued for New Year eve on December 31 for the security of large number of people who visit hotels, clubs and other public places to celebrate, he said. The traffic police has also been alerted to check drunken driving and tiffs on New Year eve and they would be manning the traffic in evening with breath analysers, he added.
It may be mentioned that the cops were already put on toes after Intelligence Bureau(IB) issued special security advisory in wake of the Taliban suicidal attack at the Army school in Peshwar in Pakistan in the beginning of last week and also in wake of coming celebrations of Chirstmas and New Years Day. The IB advisory has asked the government to step up security at all the schools, colleges, malls and other public places with immediate effect and continue it till the New Year’s celebration.
State police has also sent a circular to all the districts to maintain utmost security at the schools, colleges and other public places. ``We have asked the districts to step up police patrolling and monitor the guests lodged at the hotels and guest houses in the cities,’ an officer disclosed.