Bhubaneswar: In a first for the state, a 12-member team of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos will be deployed here for the state-level Republic Day parade on January 26. Police have already stepped up security for the event.

The NSG commando team reached the state capital on Tuesday. Though the police remained tight-lipped about the role of the commandos, a source said that the commando team would work in tandem with the police to thwart any terrorist activity during the parade.

Police commissioner Y.B. Khurania said that 25 platoons of police personnel would be deployed in the city during the Republic Day parade.

"A team of 150 officers will be pressed into action. The Quick Action Team will also be deployed," said Khurania.

The entire stretch of Mahatma Gandhi Marg will be kept under closed-circuit television camera surveillance for the parade.

"We have already started checking movement of people at bus stands, railway stations and other sensitive places in the city," said Khurania.

Hotels in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are also thoroughly checked to keep an eye on any suspicious people.

There was panic in Bhubaneswar on January 26, 2016, after five Iran nationals reportedly disappeared from a city hotel when they were asked to produce their identity proofs before they were allotted rooms.

The city police had alerted the police across the state and started a frantic search operation was launched to spot the Iranians. The drama finally drew to an end after the fugitives were detained by Andhra Pradesh police in their state on January 28.

Eight platoons of police would be pressed into action at various entry and exit points of the city. "Police stations have been asked to visit the hotels and check their occupancy charts. Armed police personnel have been deployed at various points to check the vehicles coming to the city," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.