Amidst mad rush for pre-puja shopping and visiting of Puja pandals by revelers on the day of ‘Maha Panchami’ , the state police has made a massive security arrangement to maintain the law and order with special measures for traffic management.

With the regular passenger train services including local services through DEMO, thousands of people from different parts of the state have also gathered in the city on Thursday, which is picking up momentum for marketing and business transactions and in the evening large numbers of devotees thronged in pandals across the state.

As there are no restrictions on traffic movements from the day of ‘Maha Saptami’ and taking advantage of pleasant weather, thousands of puja revelers with private or commercial vehicles are moving pandal to pandal.

However, massive security arrangements are being made to ensure peaceful observance of the festivities of Durga Puja in Agartala city and other parts of the state.

Giving details of the security measures AIGP (Police Control) Jyotishman Das Chaudhury said that although there is no specific threat and no alert has not sounded from Ministry of Home Affairs and other agencies, the state police establishment is leaving no stone unturned to ensure peaceful celebrations of Durga puja.

Chaudhury, this year as per available information Durga Puja is likely to be celebrated at 2900 places or pandals in the entire state, this includes above 950 Durga pujas in West Tripura district including  around 500 pujas in Agartala. He said that around 250 more community Durga Puja are being organized in comparison to last year.

He said Tripura police have already started taking preventive actions against anti-social elements, checking vulnerable places and conducting special drives for traffic enforcement in view of the coming festive season.

Chaudhury said that an adequate number of police, TSR and SPO jawans will be deployed during Durga Puja all over the state and some traffic restrictions will be imposed during the Puja days in and around Agartala city for specific duration.

He said that police will continue an anti-narcotic special drive and will also intensify in coming days especially during the celebration of festivities

‘So far there is no report of any extremist movement within the state, however, police is maintaining strict vigil inside the state’s territory and BSF has been asked to maintain strict vigil on the Indo-Bangla border to prevent any attempt of extremists and anti-social elements,’ said Das Chaudhury and added that all police stations in interior areas have been put on high alert in view of ensuing festivities.

Altogether hundreds of police assistance booths will be set up including few exclusively in Agartala to render assistance to the people, besides watch towers are being constructed in all critical locations including towers in Agartala.

While, addressing a press conference SP(West), Kiran Kumar K at his official chamber on Thursday evening  said that the sensitive and important places where foot falls are expected to be more, will be kept under CCTV surveillance and CCTV will be fixed at many locations all over the district including important locations of Agartala. Hundreds of CCTV cameras were installed across the state excluding the available CCTV cameras installed in Agartala under Smart city project including in some puja pandals.

 All major motor stands, car auto parking areas, and crowds will be under CCTV surveillance. The organizers of puja committees especially, where big pandals have been requested to install CCTV cameras in and around their puja pandals. He said an adequate number of security forces including TSR and CRPF have been deployed across Agartala city and other parts of the state and BSF jawans has been alerted in entire border areas of the district.

The Railway police have taken special care for safety and security of the puje revelers across all railway stations, said police and added that in addition to the above deployment, CRPF have been deployed in major police stations areas.

Under the Emergency Response Security System (ERSS), mobile vehicles will also remain in service round the clock, for which the toll free call number is 112.

Jyotishman Das Chaudhury said that anti-sabotage checks have been stepped up and the services of Dog squad and bomb detection and disposal squad are being utilized. The state disaster response force will be kept ready for attending any emergency, said Chaudhury and requested the people of the state to abide by rules to make Puja peaceful and enjoyable.

Police sources said that police mobile, foot patrols, anti-liquor raids, surprise checks of hotels and checking of vehicles have been intensified and actions are being taken against anti-social elements.