A high alert has been sounded in the twin districts of Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan district in view of 48- hours Naxal bandh which will comes into effect from midnight. The bandh call has been given by banned CPI ( Maoists) in protest against the killing of 10 rebels by a rival outfit at Chatra a week ago.
The East Singhbhum district police have stepped up security arrangements for the bandh. “We have sounded alert to the forces in the wake of the bandh call. Adequate police force has been deployed while checking of buses and other vehicles entering these districts is on,” said East Singhbhum district superintendent of police (rural) Devendra Thakur
In view of warding off any untoward incident during the bandh, deployment of central para-military forces like Central Reserve Police Force and India Reserve Battalion (IRB) have been made in the strategic locations in East Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan district and also in West Singhbhum .
Security personnel have been asked to maintain strict vigil on the movement of people in vulnerable areas, he said. He also informed that the forces were carrying out special operations in the naxal infested areas of Ghatshila and Ghurabandha to keep the rebels confined in their hideouts.
He said that during the two days bandh, patrolling of the national highway 33 will be carried out round-the-clock.
SP, Seraikela-Kharsawan district, Upendra Kumar said that the industrial units at Chowka, Chandil and also Gamharia will be provided special attention during the naxal bandh beside the provision of security cover on the NH-33 falling under the Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
All the police stations in the three districts of the division including East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharswan are on alert and patrolling has been intensified.
“Appropriate arrangements have been made to meet any threat from the ultras. Since Railway installations in the Kolhan region have always been soft targets for rebels. We hve asked the authorities to keep a check and beefed up,” said an official.
The Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway and Tatanagar railway police have also taken necessary steps to ensure smooth movement of trains and guarding vital railway installations like bridges .
Superintendent Railway Police, Tatanagar, Mrintunjay Kishore said that pilot trains will be pressed into service on the tracks during the 48 hour naxal bandh. The pilot trains will run ahead of important passenger trains.
"We have decided to keep a close co-ordination with the district police for keeping the train movement incident free during the bandh," said the SRP.