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regular-article-logo Monday, 02 December 2024

Khalistani threat triggers security beef-up for cop meet in Bhubaneswar

The national conference is scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, national security advisor Ajit Doval and other dignitaries

Subhashish Mohanty Bhubaneswar Published 29.11.24, 06:54 AM
Security personnel in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

Security personnel in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Picture by Ashwini Pati

Odisha police has made extensive security arrangements in Bhubaneswar following Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s threat to disrupt the three-day All India DGP-IGP conference scheduled to begin here on Friday.

The national conference is scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, national security advisor Ajit Doval and other dignitaries.

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Pannun, chief of the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit, has asked his supporters to disrupt and stop the DGP conference in a video message.

Pannun also dared Modi, Shah and Doval to visit the Ram Mandir, which is located at Bhubaneswar. He asked his supporters to disguise themselves and take cover in temples and hotels in Bhubaneswar to disrupt the conference.

In his video message, Pannun also termed Modi-Shah-Doval as the face of Hindu terrorism and accued them of posing a security threat to Bhubaneswar. He termed Bhubaneswar as the city of terror.

Director general of police (DGP) YB Khurania said: “We are on high alert. Foolproof measures have been taken up for smoothly conducting the conference.”

Commissioner of police (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) Suresh Dev Datta Singh told reporters: “This is a historical event for us. It is a proud moment for us. We have got the opportunity to host a conference for senior police officers from across India.”

Singh said: “We will not make any specific comment on the video. Detailed security measures have been taken. More than 70 platoons of police have been mobilised including the Odisha police, CRPF, central agencies and anti-terrorist squads.”

“We are working on seamless coordination with different organisations, including the intelligence units, and have come up with a robust security plan,”Singh said.

He further added: “With the police’s specific anti-terror forces and intelligence inputs, we will be able to defeat them. We do have challenges, that is why such conferences are being organised. We are continuously neutralising them, and they will not be able to do any harm to the country.”

The Commissioner said adequate traffic and crowd control measures have been taken for facilitating VIP movements. Sources said the Intelligence Bureau has taken over the security arrangements and is working closely with the Odisha police to ensure that no untoward incidents take place.

A number of areas of Bhubaneswar have been declared no-flying zone in preparation for the Prime Minister’s visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Bhubaneswar on Friday, he will attend the conference on Saturday after meeting state BJP leaders.

Director of Intelligence Bureau of India, Tapan Kumar Deka, has reached Bhubaneswar and other officials are scheduled to reach here by Saturday morning.

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