Tight security for Amit Shah’s rally in Odisha capital

Odisha Sun Times Bureau:
Bhubaneswar, Jan 5:

BJP National President Amit Shah’s rally in the Oodisha capital on Tuesday has put the security apparatus in the city on its toes. Intelligence inputs about some fringe elements planning to oppose Shah’s rally has added additional burden on the security personnel.

The saffron party’s national president, who enjoys Z-plus security cover, will be escorted by CRPF personnel from Biju Patnaik International Airport here to the rally venue at Unit VI ground. Besides, Black Cat commandos will be giving a cover to Amit Shah in view of the threat perception on him.  Amit Shah has been under threat from terrorists.

A three-tier security arrangement has been be put in place for Shah’s visit to the city. While CRPF personnel will escort Shah, commissionerate police will be piloting him to the venue, sources said.

‘‘The venue will be fortified with CRPF and Odisha police personnel and Black Cat commandos. In addition to this, 25 platoon police force will be deployed at the venue,’’ Twin City Police Commissioner R P Sharma said.

To ensure an incident-free rally, commissionerate police has entrusted DCP Satyabrata Bhoi to lead a team of two Additional DCPs and 100 police officers.

Metal detectors will be placed at the entry point of the rally venue and plain-clothed police personnel will be keeping an eye on trouble-makers.

As the state unit of the BJP is expecting a huge turnout at the venue on what would be the BJP president’s maiden visit to the city. For this, the traffic police have been asked to make necessary arrangements to avoid traffic chaos.

Meanwhile, the controversy over Amit Shah’s rally venue has taken a new twist. A case has been filed in Odisha High Court citing the venue to be a school playground. However, the police commissioner R P Sharma was quoted as saying that the venue belongs to General Administration department.

As the venue is hardly 200 metre from Capital Hospital, the police have granted permission of sound levels up to 65 decibels, police sources said.

Ahead of Amit Shah’s two-day visit to Odisha, the buoyant state BJP unit has made elaborate arrangements to welcome him. The state unit leaders and workers are leaving no stones unturned to make sure everything is in place.

On Sunday, BJP’s ‘Prachar Raths’ to spread the word around on Amit Shah’s visit were rolled out here. Displaying posters of the party’s ‘Mahasangram’ campaign, which seeks to dethrone the ruling BJD by highlighting the series of mega scams it is involved in, the ‘Prachar Raths’ were flagged off by BJP leaders at their state headquarters.

The loudspeaker-laden vehicles has been seen circuiting in each of the three assembly constituencies in the capital: Bhubaneswar North, Bhubaneswar Madhya and Bhubaneswar Ekamra in Odisha capital.