Police step up vigil in Tiruchi and Pudukottai for Deepavali festival

Police have stepped up vigil in Tiruchi and Pudukottai districts in connection with the Deepavali festival to curb crimes, especially in crowded areas where the general public assembled in large numbers. Important places of worship, tourist spots, bus stands and commercial hotspots in Tiruchi district have been brought under an enhanced vigil as it is at those places where large gatherings of the public are anticipated.

Around 1,000 police personnel and Home Guards have been deployed for bandobust duty in connection with the festival of lights all over Tiruchi district. Personnel of the Striking Force, anti-sabotage teams besides those creating awareness on safety-related messages through audio-visual mode to the general public have also been deployed in the five sub divisions: Jeeyapuram, Tiruverumbur, Lalgudi, Musiri and Manapparai. 

Vigil has been stepped up from Friday (October 17) night itself in connection with the festival which is to be celebrated on October 20. The enhanced vigil would continue up to October 21, said police sources. 

In neighbouring Pudukottai district, patrolling has been stepped up at seven sub divisions: Pudukottai, Aranthangi, Keeranur, Ponnamaravathi, Alangudi, Kottaipattinam and Illupur.  Police sources said teams of police personnel were conducting patrolling at crowded areas, important bazaars, bus stands and other vantage places where the public assembled in large numbers. This move is aimed at ensuring public safety and with a view to curbing crimes during the festival. The intensified patrolling which commenced on October 17 would go on up to October 21, said the sources.

Meanwhile, personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) jointly conducted anti-sabotage checks at the Tiruchi railway junction on Sunday (October 19) in connection with the Deepavali festival. No suspicious looking objects, or explosive substances or inflammable materials were found during the intensive checks, said RPF sources. 

Firefighters mobilised

The Fire and Rescue Services personnel in Tiruchi district are in a state of preparedness armed with necessary paraphernalia to deal with fire calls instantly and indulge in firefighting operations swiftly upon receipt of alert on the day of the Deepavali festival.

Complete manpower strength has been mobilised at all the 11 fire stations in Tiruchi district: Tiruchi, Srirangam, Samayapuram, Lalgudi, Pullambadi, Tiruverumbur, Navalpattu, Manapparai, Vaiyampatti, Thuvarankurichi and Uppiliapuram. A senior official of the Department said fire tenders with teams have been deployed at Teppakulam, Chathram bus stand and at Gandhi Market in Tiruchi City to rush to the spot immediately for firefighting operation on the festival day.