Tension in Coimbatore post NIA raids: Over 4,500 police personnel deployed

Other senior officials, including Coimbatore City police commissioner V Balakrishnan and Coimbatore rural SP V Badrinarayanan took part in the meeting.
Police deployed to prevent any untoward incident in Coimbatore | Express
Police deployed to prevent any untoward incident in Coimbatore | Express

COIMBATORE: Following multiple incidents of vandalism across Coimbatore district after nationwide searches were carried out by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) against PFI (Popular Front of India) offices and people linked to the outfit on Thursday, more than 4,500 police personnel, including special units, were deployed across the district on Saturday to restore normalcy.

Of the over 4,500 police personnel deployed across the district, 3,500 personnel (including personnel from other districts) were deployed in Coimbatore city. About 100 personnel from Special Task Force (STF) and 58 Tamil Nadu Commando Police have also been deployed in the city. In addition to 11 regular checkpoints, temporary checkpoints have been set up at 28 places and 45 patrol vehicles have been deployed in the city. 23 State and district border check posts have been placed on high alert and 58 temporary checkpoints have been set up across the district.

In a meeting with the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu V Irai Anbu through video conference on Saturday, Coimbatore Collector GS Sameeran gave a detailed account on steps taken to restore normalcy in the district. Other senior officials, including Coimbatore City police commissioner V Balakrishnan and Coimbatore rural SP V Badrinarayanan took part in the meeting.

“Authorities from 17 districts took part in the meeting. People don’t have to panic. Steps have been taken to identify miscreants. Strict action will be taken against them,” Sameeran told reporters after the meeting.
The Collector said administration is holding meetings with Hindu and Muslim outfits to maintain peace. “We spoke with several Jamaat leaders and Hindu organisations and they are cooperating with us,” he said.

When asking about the delay in arresting miscreants, Balakrishnan said separate cases have been registered in each of the incidents and process is on to trace the accused with the help of CCTV footage. “There is a delay in identifying them as they are speeding on bikes. A few of them have been identified and they will be arrested soon under Goondas Act,” he said. The collector appealed to people to not believe in rumours.

Meanwhile, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADC -Crime against Women and Children) S Murugavel, who was holding additional charge of Intelligence Section (IS) of Coimbatore city, has been relieved from the post. Assistant Commissioner Parthiban, who was earlier with the Special Intelligence Cell (SIC), will now hold the charge of the Intelligence Section and Assistant Commissioner of Singanallur range MG Arun replaced Parthiban.

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