PATNA: Bihar police tightened security arrangements around tourist sports ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state following the Pahalgam terror attack on Tuesday afternoon.
Since this will be the PM's first visit to poll-bound Bihar post the Pahalgam attack, the state is ramping up security arrangements.
The PM is expected to announce measures against the terror outfit responsible for the attack in which innocent tourists were killed.
Among the events lined up for the prime minister is a function in Patna during which he will launch development schemes and flag off new trains for Bihar, and after that, a rally in Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district on the occasion of Panchayatiraj Diwas.
Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar on Wednesday said that an alert has been sounded across the state following the terrorist attack on tourists in J&K.
Security has been tightened in the districts along Indo-Nepal border, airports and tourist spots as a precautionary measure, the DGP said after a review meeting with senior police officers to oversee security arrangements for the PM’s visit.
Besides district police, officials of intelligence wing of the state police have been asked to keep a close surveillance on movement of people coming to India from Nepal. Border police outposts (BoPs) along Indo-Nepal Border have been put on maximum alert and asked to check transborder activities.
Madhubani shares its border with Nepal and terrorists may use the porous border to sneak into Indian territory from Nepal, sources in the state police headquarters said.
Security arrangements have been tightened around tourist spots like Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Vaishali, Takhta Shri Harimandir Sahib (Patna Sahib), Hanuman temple near Patna junction and other places.
Senior officials of Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB), which has been assigned to guard the porous Indo-Nepal border, held a meeting with their counterparts in Nepal to thwart sinister design, if any, orchestrated by terror groups or gangs involved in trans-border activities.
Prime Minister’s office (PMO) has also issued advisory to the Bihar government on the Prime Minister’s visit to Madhubani on April 24.
The PMO has restricted felicitation programme during the PM’s one-day visit to Bihar due to the Pahalgam incident. PM is learnt to have cancelled his Kanpur visit.