Kolkata: Security has been tightened across Kolkata for Independence Day, with police stepping up surveillance amid cracking of JeM-Shahzad Bhatti and ISI-backed terror and spying modules in the city in the past month.According to sources at Lalbazar, 6,000 police personnel will be deployed across the city on Friday for the occasion.The security has been planned keeping in mind various alerts from Delhi, with Delhi even sharing photographs of 19 wanted terrorists belonging to the Pak, Khalistani and JMB terror groups.The force will include officers of various ranks, from deputy commissioners to joint commissioners. Checkposts and vehicle inspections will begin from the previous night, with special emphasis on strict monitoring. In addition, watchtowers will be used at different points in the city to keep a close eye on movement.The country will observe its 80th Independence Day on Saturday and the annual Independence Day event will be held on Red Road, where the national flag will be hoisted by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari. The parade on Red Road will also feature the armed forces, paramilitary, state police, Kolkata Police, and students from various schools in the city and surrounding districts. Ahead of the event, Red Road is being placed under a tight security cover, while extra vigilance and protection will extend to the rest of the city as well.Sources said that along with the 6,000 police personnel on city streets, five joint commissioners, 20 deputy commissioners, and 45 assistant commissioners have been assigned overall responsibility for security. Police have divided Red Road into several zones, with separate security arrangements for each. Surveillance will also continue from makeshift watchtowers.From Friday night onward, checkpost inspections will be intensified. Hotels across the city will also be checked, and action will be taken against anyone found suspicious. Besides this, from Friday morning, metro stations and key intersections across the city will remain under heightened watch. Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have also been deployed to ensure any problem can be dealt with promptly.
