India on R-Day alert

Can there be a Republic Day without spoilers? Bihar and Chhattisgarh are on high alert following threats from Maoists. “The Sashastra Seema Bal and the state police have increased patrolling along the porous Indo-Nepal border to prevent Nepali Maoists from sneaking into the two states and disrupting Republic Day celebrations,” additional director-general (ADG), headquarters, Neelmani said.

Guwahati: A security alert has been sounded in three of the seven northeastern states with militant groups calling for a boycott of Monday’s Republic Day celebrations, officials said. Four separatist groups in Assam, Manipur and Tripura have called for a 17-hour strike on Monday and warned of violence if people violated the diktat. “We have deployed security forces in full strength across the state, especially around vital installations, to thwart any possible militant attack,” Assam police chief GM Srivastava said.

Chandigarh: Security arrangements in Punjab have been beefed up after police received anonymous letters threatening of attacks on Republic Day. “We have received a couple of anonymous letters written in Urdu from Kashmir, threatening of attacks on R-Day in Punjab. We are leaving nothing to chance and have tightened up  security across the state,” said a senior officer.  

Kolkata: Cell phones, SIM cards and a host of other electronic gadgets were seized in a raid on Alipore Central Jail. The detective department of the Kolkata Police, led by DC Jawed Shamim, and the jail authorities jointly conducted the raid after receiving information that cell phones, SIM cards and electronic goods had been kept inside cells, ADG (jail) BD Sharma said.

He said six mobile phones, three SIM cards, a DVD player, 10 CDs, four mobile chargers, a scissor and a knife were recovered from the prison. A probe is on.