Image courtesy: Mid-Day.com
Amid terror warnings, the Mumbai police are busy putting a three-tier security arrangement across the city. Senior inspectors of all police stations have been asked to maintain extra vigil on the eve of festivals like Ramnavami (March 24), Mahavir Jayanti (March 28) and Easter (April 4). The security arrangement will be in place for Good Friday (April 2) as well.
The development assumes significance in light of the fact that the police have received around 50 terror-related alerts in the past two months about Lashkar-e-Taiba and other militant groups planning to carry out blasts across the country.
Policemen have been asked to look out for suspicious characters that might target crowds during the festival season.
Intelligence inputs indicate that terrorists could be planning to blow up oil tanks owned by HP, BP and Indo Burma Petroleum. Officials have been asked to look out for vehicles parked on busy roads.
The first layer of security comprises mobile combat teams under an ACP's command, accompanied by one sub-inspector and four policemen. They will be armed with two AK47 assault rifles, one Sten gun, two SLRs and five 9 mm pistols.
The second layer comprises 20 personnel from the Quick Response Team (QRT). Each region has four special bulletproof vehicles commanded by a sub-inspector. Officials of the QRT have achieved an acceptable level of fitness and shooting skills.
In case of trouble, squad members are expected to engage the enemy till further help arrives.
Commandos from the First Response Team (FRT) have also been put on alert. Each of the units is armed with imported state-of-the-art weapons. These include sniper rifles capable of taking targets from up to two kilometres, MP5s, and Smith & Wesson advanced pistols capable of firing 18 rounds and other assorted weapons.
FRT personnel are equipped with bulletproof trucks or Maharakshak in case of an enemy attack. Each truck has a complement of nine commandos and one officer. Senior police officers have been asked not to sanction any leaves during the festival season.
All police stations have been instructed to carry out combing operations during their beats, and detain suspects with criminal records until the season is over.