Ranchi/Dhanbad, May 14: The serial blasts in Jaipur and tomorrow’s Maoist bandh have put the security forces on high alert today.

In view of the bandh, several trains running through the state have been cancelled or diverted.

The police also made 87 precautionary arrests.

In the capital, the police started the special drive to check vehicles around 10am at roundabouts. They also restrained parking around the secretariat and the Assembly.

The drive began after instructions from senior police superintendent M.S. Bhatia, who responded to the high alert call given by chief minister Madhu Koda after Tuesday’s blasts. More than 2,000 vehicles were checked.

The chief of traffic police, Rajeev Ranjan, said the drive kept several vehicles off the road.

“The moment constables came to the roads to check vehicles, we found our work easier. Though we nabbed some people for violating traffic rules, we were not tense like other days as those vehicles and drivers without documents did not come to the road,” he said.

Bhatia said: “Though we did not find any objectionable material during the check it helped us in many ways.”

The special drive was also part of the preparations to face tomorrow’s bandh call given by the Maoists to protest against the arrest of their leader Pramod Mishra in Dhanbad.

“Recent revelation made by Mishra in police custody has given the city police sleepless nights. According to his confession, Maoists are using the city to chalk out strategies,” a police officer said.

The bandh call would disrupt train services. Ranchi division commercial manager Vivek Srivastava said several trains — including Hatia-Jammu Tawi Express, Ranchi-Benaras Intercity and Jharkhand Swarnjayanti Express — would be sent through Gomoh for safe passage.

The Dhanbad rail division, too, cancelled or diverted several trains running through vulnerable routes.

The 3347 and 3347A Up Palamau Link Express passing through Barkakhana and Singrauli and 3348 and 3348A Down Palamau Link Express have been cancelled. Besides, Gomoh-Barwadih Express and Dehrionsone Express have also been cancelled.

The 8102 Amritsar-Tata Express would be detained till sunrise at Chaupan.

The diverted trains include the Shaktipunj Express, Ranchi-Varanasi Intercity, Tata-Amritsar Express, Shaktipunj Express and the Ranchi-Varanasi Intercity.

Trains would run together in the grand chord section from 8pm on Wednesday to 5am on Thursday and again from 8pm on Thursday to 5am Friday. Operation of goods train has been suspended in the area.

GETTING READY

• Several trains cancelled or diverted
• Cops conduct special drive at roundabouts to check vehicles
• Police arrest 87 people as preventive measure
• Parking near secretariat and Assembly restricted