Over 1,000 cops deployed at Apollo premises

Highly-placed sources in police told DTNext that the entire Tamil Nadu police force has been deployed, cancelling the leaves granted to police personnel and also roping in force from other special units to law and order duty

Two additional Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs) have been appointed to maintain law and order in the state. Senior police officials Sarangan and Jayaraman were appointed as IGPs to specifically deal with the law and order. Private establishments, shops and other commercial establishments have shut shop, fearing violence and also possibility of anti-social elements engaging in looting. Police sources said in the event of any unfortunate incident, Section 144 CrPC would be evoked, banning public congregation. State police sources said additional strength from the Central Industrial Security Force and CRPF has been sought to maintain law and order in Chennai. 

The district SPs have been asked to mobilise maximum strength and also Armed Reserve battalion has been deployed. Private companies had asked their employees to leave for home in the afternoon itself, after the medical bulletin from Apollo was released around 2 pm. State police sources said there were sporadic instances of minor violence reported in some parts of the state, but cadres were largely peaceful in most part of the state. A DGP circular has asked 75 percent of the force to remain on road until further orders. Intelligence inputs have warned about possible looting by anti-social elements in case of eruption of violence. “We have taken all steps to maintain law and order in the state. So far no major untoward incidents have been reported. We have also requested additional strength from central para military forces based in Chennai,” a senior police official said. Meanwhile, some Islamic organisations, who were planning to hold Babri Masjid Demolition anniversary on, cancelled their programmes. Police sources said no rallies or public meetings will be allowed in the state until further orders.

With tension mounting on the uncertainty of the health condition of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, incidents of stone pelting and allegations that party cadres were forcing shops to down shutters in the city were reported.

Such incidents were averted by the policemen who took miscreants to task.  An AIADMK functionary from Periamet was taken into police custody and later let off for allegedly forcing few shop owners in the locality to close their shops. In an unrelated incident, two girls and a bus driver suffered injuries after an unknown persons threw a stone at a bus belonging to a private company at Santhome High Road. After the stone cracked the front wind shield of the bus, the driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed against a post on the pavement. 

At Porur, two MTC buses were damaged after few unknown persons pelted stones. Sources said that, at Virgambakkam and Teynampet shop owners were allegedly threatened to down shutters and tension prevailed for a while in these areas. Security was heightened across the city with more than 1,000 police personnel at the Apollo Hospitals premises. To avert any untoward incidents, Tamil Nadu turned into a fortress with one lakh police personnel being deployed across all districts. In the city there were 20,000 policemen posted in various parts to avert any untoward incidents. In addition to this police  officials of various wings such as Intelligence and SB-CID were roped in.