Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 25 Nov: Following the recent blast near the Red Fort in Delhi, Uttarakhand Police and the administration are on high alert with intensified verification and security operations across the State. Although, no link between the Delhi incident and Uttarakhand has been established so far, State and Central agencies are investigating the matter at their respective levels. Since the blast, random checking has been intensified at public places alongside a large-scale verification drive.
The verification drive is primarily focused on checking the credentials of people from other States residing in Uttarakhand on rent. However, the process of tenant verification often encounters logistical hurdles, as responses from the police stations in other districts often take considerable time and, in many cases, the persons being verified may have relocated before the verification is completed. To address this challenge, Uttarakhand Police have begun deploying special messengers to expedite the verification process.
In the immediate aftermath of the Delhi explosion, the Police Headquarters in Uttarakhand had issued an alert, resulting in heightened vigilance at international and inter-state borders. Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli had also conducted a high-level security review and directed measures to strengthen security at tourist destinations, religious sites, border areas and government offices. Intensive checking campaigns have since been undertaken in crowded places across the State.
ADG, Law and Order, V Murugesan shared with the media that in cases where verification letters take time to elicit responses, information is first extracted from the CCTNS database. If the person’s data is not available there, a letter is sent to their respective districts for verification. He added that when the number of verifications becomes excessively high, special messengers are dispatched to ensure the process is completed swiftly.
Murugesan confirmed that the state Police continued to be on high alert, following the Delhi blast and random checking is being conducted periodically in different areas. He reiterated that no connection of the Delhi incident with Uttarakhand has come to light so far, but if any link emerges, appropriate action will be taken. He further stated that the ongoing verification drive is aimed at tenants residing in rental accommodations across the State, while random checks are also being conducted at bus stands, railway stations and other crowded places. He however conceded that no separate task force has been constituted for this purpose, and the operations are being carried out by regular police personnel, reserve forces from the police lines and the PAC.
