Security beefed up in Ahmedabad and state

Security has been beefed up in the city following terrorist attacks on Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar on Tuesday evening. Security at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport has been tightened. Police has intensified patrolling all sensitive areas in the city to avoid any flare up. However, no untoward incident has been reported.

In sensitive Vejalpur, Juhapura areas, security has been tightened, informed Vejalpur senior police inspector M.B. Parmar. DCP (Zone III )Vikas Sahay said, "We will be patrolling all sensitive areas throughout the night."

Also, BSF forces have been deployed at every 200-m distance on Ashram road. Central Industrial Security Force has tightened security at the airport."Strict checking of passports is being conducted and no one is allowed to enter the airport. Red alert has been declared at the airport," said PI K.J. Chawda, immigration office at airport.

Meanwhile, six relief camps sheltering riot victims of Ahmedabad witnessed a rush of people from the minority community as soon as the news of terrorist attack spread in the city. Anticipating communal flare up of a similar nature that ensued after the Sabarmati Express train massacre at Godhra in February, people of nearby chawls rushed to the relief camps.

The Haj House in Kalupur, for instance, had already received around 30 people by 10.30 p.m., informed Ahmedabad district collector K. Srinivas. He said, "There is anxiety among people living in communally sensitive areas of the city. Fearing backlash, they are flocking nearby camps. Although they remarked that they would return to their homes by morning, they want to ensure that the night passes off peacefully and safely." In order to take stock of the situation in the city, senior police officials held meeting with the district collector late in the evening and patrolled the city.

Republished from The Asian Age