ANGUL: In a bid to curb criminal activities on the highways passing through Angul, the police have introduced round-the-clock patrolling and divided the district into six zones.
Sources said as many as 100 police personnel have been included in the drive. Earlier, patrolling was done only in Angul and Talcher towns, but now the entire district has come under the purview of round-the-clock vigil. For the purpose, the district has been divided into six zones - Angul, Talcher, Athmallick-Thakurgarh-Handappa, Handappa-Jarapara, Pallahara, Nisha and Chhendipada.
Angul SP Mitrabhanu Mahapatra said six patrolling vehicles will be engaged in the drive. He said each vehicle will manned by one officer, one havildar and four armed constables. “They will be provided one mobile phone and a GPS system so that they can stay connected with the control room”, the SP said, adding the personnel will work in three shifts.
Mahapatra said the intention of the drive is to check robberies, coal smuggling and other such activities on the highways.According to Sub-divisional Police Officer Harihar Pani, the personnel on patrolling duty have been instructed to intercept vehicles that arouse suspicion.