AMRITSAR: Following Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack on the building of the Punjab police intelligence division in Mohali followed by another attack, the Punjab border range police as well as police and civil administrations of neighbouring Chamba, Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (JKUT) claim to have taken adequate steps to avert any further mishap.
Border range police which is also a part of the second line of defence after the Border Security Force (BSF) guarding the international border with Pakistan has taken additional measures such as strengthening the security of sensitive installations across the region.
Inspector General, Border Range, Mohnish Chawla said that border range police had strengthened the security of the areas falling under police stations of both the interstate border with HP and JKUT and international border with Pakistan. Security of areas falling under police stations situated close to the international border with Pakistan such as Gharinda and Lopoke had been intensified. Similarly, he informed that Naka’s at the interstate borders with HP and JKUT with Pathankot had been put on high alert.
Director, Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport V K Seth informed “We are concerned about the incident and with regards to the security point of view, I am in continuous touch with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandant and tomorrow we are having a meeting on the issue and if need be we will take additional measures”. He informed that CISF takes care of the security of airport terminal building and operational area whereas Punjab police as well as CISF jointly handle the security of the city side are of the airport.
Deputy Commissioner Chamba, HP, DC Rana said, they had tightened the interstate security with Punjab and had alerted all the Naka’s to keep an eye on people entering the hill district. In wake of high tourists' rush to Dalhousie also known as the queen of hills, Rana said police were checking the vehicles but proper care was being taken so that tourists didn’t have any inconvenience.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kangra, HP Dr. Kushal Chand Sharma said police had done ‘nakabandi’ on all the entry points into the district from Punjab and have intensified vehicle checking. "Police carry out random checking of the vehicle but ensure that tourists coming to Kangra are not harassed," he said.
Notably, Kangra is already on high alert following a temerarious attempt by some anti-national elements who had tied the Khalistan flag on the main gate of the HP legislative assembly complex at Dharamshala and wrote Khalistan slogans on its walls. Earlier in March HP police and locals had raised objections to vehicles arriving from Punjab displaying photographs of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Sharma said police had advised the people coming to HP to respect the feelings of the people of HP. About the draping of the Khalistan flag on the HP assembly, he said” We have registered a case and are investigating and we will take action as par the law”.
Punjab has around a dozen routes connecting with the Kathua district of JKUT and following the Mohali incident, the security of all these Naka’s had been strengthened by both Punjab and JKUT police.
SSP Kathua, Ramesh Chander Kotwal said: “We have 10 to 12 routes entering the JKUT from Punjab , following Mohali incident all the Naka’s have been put on high alert “ adding that there was round the clock security of the interstate border with Punjab.
