Alipurduar, Aug. 14: The Bengal director-general of police has said there are threats to Independence Day celebrations from different insurgent groups and a close watch is being kept on highways and trains.

“We have information that some insurgent outfits are regrouping and working under same umbrella to carry out subversive activities in the state. Like previous years, there are threats to Independence Day programmes. I think the police will be able to combat any extremist act in north Bengal,” said A.B. Vohra.

The director-general of police was talking to reporters after inaugurating a new building of the Madarihat police station.

In his speech, Vohra reserved a few words for the dances the boys and girls of tribal communities had performed at the inaugural programme.

Exhorting the policemen to change their attitude, the police chief said: “When the 100-year-old station is getting a new building, the policemen should also change. We will be successful only when a child can come to the station without fear.”

Vohra praised the Jalpaiguri district police for being polite to people who come to stations for filing complaints and registering cases.

The officer inspected the building to see for himself the facilities there. He inquired about the toilets for female accused and the staff strength at the station.

The minister of state for public works, Manohar Tirkey, Madarihat-Birpara MLA Kumari Kujur and other senior police officers were present on the occasion.