Cuttack: Tight police security will be in place on Thursday on the occasion of Kali Puja in the city.

Central paramilitary forces have also been called in to ensure foolproof security.

All the sensitive places will be under strict vigil and adequate security measures will be maintained at all religious places. Those found indulging in undesirable activities will be dealt strictly, the police officials said.

The city has been divided into four zones under security arrangement inclusive of plainclothes policemen, police video teams and anti-liquor squads. The police aid posts will be set up at several places.

A sizable number of security personnel will be from the local police stations for the bandobast, while the rest will come from various battalions of the Odisha State Armed Police Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, Special Operation Group and the Rapid Action Force.

Deputy police commissioner Akhileswar Singh said 40 platoons of police would be deployed for Kali Puja in the city this year. "There will be special watch on the railway station, bus depot, markets and the 75 Puja mandaps," Singh said. According to official sources, 400 officials, including additional SPs, DSPs, assistant commandants, inspectors, SIs and ASIs are in bandobast duty.

Security around the Puja mandaps will be entrusted according to their sizes. While inspectors will be in charge near the big Puja mandaps, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors will be in charge near the medium and small mandaps, respectively.

"Special emphasis will be given on the protection at the 20-odd mandaps, where idols will be decorated with chandi medhas (silver filigree backdrops) in the city," Singh said. Two armed police personnel will be posted at these mandaps.

The police will appoint 375 volunteers, nominated by the Puja committees, as special police officers to regulate the crowd and traffic near their mandaps.

While over 50 CCTV cameras will be in place at prominent places, three special mobile teams will keep a watch on the illegal sale of liquor and other criminals elements during the festivities. A special surveillance will also be kept on hotels, restaurants and near malls as part of the strategy to prevent any untoward incidents in public places.