

CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's first flag-hoisting at Fort St George on the 80th Independence Day on Saturday will be marked by five-tier security arrangements.
As per the orders of Chennai City Police Commissioner A Amalraj, Fort St George and its surrounding areas are under a thick security blanket ahead of the CM's Independence Day address.
Additional Commissioners Kapil Kumar C Saratkar (North), KS Narendran Nayar (South) and B Shamoondeeswari (Traffic), along with joint commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, inspectors and other police personnel, have been assigned special security duties.
As a precautionary measure, additional police teams have been deployed at sensitive locations, including Chennai Airport, railway stations, bus terminals, bus and metro stations, shopping malls, beaches, places of worship and other places frequently visited by VIPs. Intensive checks and monitoring are being carried out at these locations.
Searches are also being conducted at hotels and lodges across the city. The public has been urged to immediately inform the police about any suspicious persons or unattended vehicles.
Patrolling has also been intensified across Chennai using four-wheelers and two-wheelers. Barricades have been erected at key locations to conduct thorough vehicle checks, while police personnel have been stationed at major junctions for continuous monitoring.