Security has been stepped up for senior BJP and ruling party leaders in Tamil Nadu after the State intelligence perceived a threat to their safety from the ongoing protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. All city/district police have been alerted and told to activate their intelligence machinery to keep tabs on religious fundamentalists who had come under adverse notice in the recent past.
According to police sources, intelligence interception of certain messages pointed to some outfits or activists planning to attack senior BJP leaders. This input was communicated to the politicians and their security revised taking the level of threat perception into consideration, police sources said on Friday.
After the incidents in Coimbatore where a Hindu Munnani leader was attacked a couple of days ago and the alleged attempt to cause an explosion in a mosque using a petrol bomb, tension between pro- and anti-CAA protesters escalated resulting in an uneasy calm in the western districts.
Social media
“We have asked the cyber crime teams to intensify vigil on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and prevent the spread of hate messages. Firm action will be taken against any person posting or sharing any message that has the potential to cause communal disharmony or promote hatred between two groups of people.
After preserving evidence, we will take steps to delete such posts and register cases against the accused persons,” a senior police officer said. The protests over CAA had taken communal turn with the agitators divided on the lines of religion. “This does not seem to be a protest against the legislation any more. People belonging to two religions and others supporting them respectively have taken a stand for or against the Act,” the officer contended.
Border security
Vigil had been enhanced along the shoreline by the Coastal Security Group in coordination with the Navy and Coast Guard besides the local police strengthening patrolling and vehicle checks at check-posts on roads leading to neighbouring States.
“Adequate security arrangements are in place to prevent any intrusion of anti-social elements into the State. Security has also been tightened at vital installations and quick reaction teams positioned at vantage points,” the officer added.
