Bengaluru blast keeps city cops on their toes

Additional forces, dog squads deployed at prominent tourist spots

Following the bomb blast in Bengaluru that claimed a woman’s life, injuring three others on Sunday, the city police have sounded a high alert.

As soon as the news of the blast was flashed on Sunday night, Police Commissioner M A Saleem deployed additional forces at transit locations like KSRTC sub-urban bus stand on Bengaluru-Nilgiri road and the main railway station here.

Saleem told Deccan Herald, two platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) force and six from City Armed Reserve (CAR) police force have been dispatched to several parts of the city. The  reserve policemen are on guard at both the bus stands, K R Circle, D Devaraja Urs road, Sayyaji Rao road, Chamundi Hill and Zoo.

In addition to this, the dog squad attached to both the Railway Police Force (RPF) and the City Police, along with the Government Railway Police (GRP), were deployed for checking the trains and baggages at the railway station, said a railway police force official, preferring anonymity. 

Allaying any kind of threat, the officer said: “The door framed metal detectors (DFMDs) are put up at both the entries (main gate side and KRS road side), besides men with hand held metal detectors (HHMDs). As and when the police personnel come across any suspicious object and bulging bags, the police check them”.

The dog squad was also pressed into service at the Palace for nearly an hour, followed by Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens. At the Palace, owing to the huge inflow of tourists, one platoon of Chamundi commando wing of the City Armed Reserve police was deployed. At the Zoo, every visitor was frisked.

ACP (Palace) Channaiah told Deccan Herald, as part of the enhanced security measure, the Karikal Thotti gate was closed for the public and outside vehicles, while only VVIPs and the Palace Board staff were allowed.

The dog squad was moving from place to place, albeit the men worked in shifts, looking for suspicious objects at public places like parks and prominent government offices.

CM cuts short tour

Soon after learning about the bomb blast in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah rushed to Bengaluru from the city on Sunday at 11 pm. The chief minister, who was supposed to travel to Chikkamagaluru on Monday by helicopter, called off the schedule and returned to the State capital.