Good Morning Beat from 4 am to 6 am; Special vigilance from 6 am to 9 am; Focus on religious places from 9 am to 11 am

Mysore/Mysuru: Based on intelligence reports about possible terror strikes five days ago, Mysuru City Police are on high alert. The alert has been heightened from today after Bengaluru Central Crime Branch sleuths averted a major terror plot by arresting five suspected terrorists yesterday. Police also seized bomb-making materials and weapons from their possession.

Mysuru Police officers told SOM this morning that they have been on alert since last week after the meeting of ADGP (Law and Order) R. Hithendra and Southern Range DIGP Dr. M. Boralingaiah. “We have been asked to be vigilant about the possible terror strikes as many intelligence reports affirmed such attacks,” a Police officer said.

Apart from meeting the Mysuru officers, the ADGP also held a meeting of all senior Police officers in Bengaluru, warning them about the intelligence reports. “Following the directive from the City Police Commissioner Ramesh Banoth, all Police Stations have their own ‘Bandobast Team’ that will rush to the place in case of any eventuality,” the officer said.

Beat system: To strengthen vigil, a Good Morning Beat system has been formed where officers and staff are on rounds from 4 am to 6 pm and will be on special vigilance task from 6 am to 9 am where personnel will monitor the city in civil dress. From 9 am to 11 am, the focus will be on all religious places. These beat timings have been fixed following intelligence inputs about terror strikes in the morning rush hour, Police sources said.

“Officers should be available on rounds at important places in their areas and those deployed at night should check all vehicles at borders and detain suspicious vehicles,” the Police Commissioner has ordered.

There will be a day-long vigil. Night beat system has been beefed up, planned and unplanned leaves of staff  have been cancelled. The Commissioner and the DCP are approving only emergency leaves, sources added. “Jurisdictional Officers have been asked to hold peace meetings even if a small incident occurs so that a bigger flare-up is aborted,” the Police officer said. 

Monitoring social media: There is a strict monitoring of all social media handles which can be used to incite violence by posting old photos, videos and comments from unrelated incidents from different geographies. “A special Social Media Cell team is scanning the social media for such posts and action is being taken before violence-inciting posts cause damage,” the officer added.

All entry points to the city are being closely watched. Barricades are being placed on the roads that connect Mysuru city and the focus is on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway, Manandavadi Road, Ooty Road and Hunsur Road. Vehicles including passengers and goods are checked for suspicious materials and explosives, if any.