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Odisha
Bhubaneswar: A three-tier security blanket has been thrown in and around the State Assembly ahead of the upcoming budget session which begins from Thursday.
The massive security built up is part of the Commissionerate Police’s preparedness for the smooth conduct of the budget session in the backdrop of several suicide bids near the Assembly during the previous sessions.
According to Commissionerate Police sources, forces will be deployed at the Assembly, Lok Seva Bhawan and Lower PMG during the session and more security personnel will be present in the high security zone to prevent protests and other untoward incidents. Legal action would also be initiated against anyone attempting suicide, the police made it clear.
It may be recalled that security outside the State Assembly had gone into a tizzy after a series of self-immolation attempts had been made by citizens outside the high-security zone in the last Winter session. The most notable among those was the suicide attempt of the parents of the five-year-old girl from Nayagarh, who was allegedly raped and murdered.
“During the last session of the Assembly Covid-19 restrictions were in force. But this time the curbs have mostly been lifted and we expect more crowd around the Assembly. Hence the security arrangement has been tightened,” said Director General of Police (DGP), Abhay.
Barricading will be done at three points near the Assembly and Secretariat buildings. Police personnel in plain clothes will be deployed inside the Assembly premises while a two-tier security cover will be in place outside the House. There will be strict anti-terror vigil and other untoward incidents. This apart, a police team will remain on stand-by to prevent any self-immolation bid.
“Self-immolation is a crime and it’s not a democratic way to protest. People having any kind of complaints should approach the district grievance cell. I request the media, all political parties and other private organisations to discourage these kinds of undemocratic practises outside the Assembly,” said Sudhansu Sarangi, Commissioner of Police.
