Jehadi threat looms over Assam's Durga puja

September 25, 2008 22:24 IST

In view of the nationwide alert against the threat of terrorism, the ensuing Durga Puja, the most popular autumn festival in Assam, will be celebrated in the state under heavy security.

All the 450 plus puja celebration committees in Guwahati city have been asked by the police to install close circuit television cameras to monitor and videograph crowd moverment in and around the puja pandals.

It is for the first time that the committees would be required to instal CCTVs as the city police wouldn't

have enough personnel to effectively man such a large number of pandals.

The police has drawn up a plan for adequate deployment of special groups of informers and spotters in and around puja celebration venues to keep a tab on movements of suspects who might be out to strike terror.

Movement of vehicles will be prohibited within a 100-meter radius of every puja pandal as a precautionary measure.

The tight vigil during the Dirga puja festival will not be confined to only Guwahati city but also all other major towns in Assam.

K Anurag in Guwahati