Policemen frisk two-wheeler riders on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Jan. 20: Police have beefed up security measures in and around the vital installations in the city in the wake of Ulfa strikes on oil properties in Upper Assam during the run-up to Republic Day.

A police official said anti-sabotage squads have been deployed in areas covering Guwahati Refinery, Indira Gandhi International Airport at Borjhar and other vital installations and strategic bridges like the Saraighat bridge to foil militant strikes on these targets or sabotage Republic Day celebrations.

The official said the police have also begun joint patrolling with volunteers of various citizens’ committees to ensure round-the-clock vigil around these vital installations.

Security checks around Judges Field, where governor Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh will hoist the Tricolour on Republic Day, have also been intensified and spotters have been deployed in the nearby areas to ensure that militants cannot sabotage the rehearsal parade that has already begun.

The city police have also alerted the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) against possible strikes by militants on the refinery and the airport. The CISF authority has been promised peripheral security of the refinery and the airport by increasing the area domination of the police and paramilitary forces in the vicinity.

The official said a major cause of worry for the police is that the militants can hit these vital installations even from a distance by using either a rocket-propelled grenade or a mortar.

“To ensure that militants cannot sneak into the city, checking of all vehicles at all the entry and exit points has been intensified. The army is also expected to assist us shortly to ensure a foolproof security,” the official added.

Night patrolling along the entire stretch of the Brahmaputra from Noonmati to Saraighat bridge and beyond, by river police has also been intensified following intelligence warning that militants might use the river route to sneak into the city.

The official pointed out that the fact that Saraswati Puja has coincided with the Republic Day has also given security headache to the city police top brass. They fear that with more people out on the streets, the risk of collateral damage in the event of a gunbattle with the militants would be higher.

Amid heightened security exercise, three hardcore militants, two belonging to the Ulfa and one belonging to the National Democratic Front of Boroland NDFB), surrendered before the city police yesterday.

The surrendered militants have been identified as Laloo Brahma alias Onam Brahma and Jagadish Rajbangshi alias Anirban Kakoti, both of them Ulfa rebels and NDFB rebel Silathor Narzary alias Chourang Narzary.

They also deposited one wireless set and a Chinese grenade.