Chennai, Oct 20 (IANS) As part of the Diwali festival preparedness, an elaborate security apparatus has been rolled out across the northern districts of Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Tiruvannamalai to prevent any untoward incidents and ensure smooth celebrations.

Over 3,500 police personnel have been deployed in major towns including Vellore, Arcot, Arakkonam, Ambur, Tiruvannamalai, Cheyyar, and Vandavasi.

Following directions from G. Dharmarajan, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Vellore Range, special measures have been implemented at key public locations such as markets, theatres, shopping streets, and festival hotspots.

The focus is on maintaining law and order, managing traffic flow at busy intersections, and preventing petty crimes such as theft and chain-snatching.

Police teams from law and order, crime, traffic, armed reserve, Tamil Nadu Special Police, and Home Guards are working round-the-clock at identified busy spots across towns and large villages.

Around 85 vehicle checkpoints, including those along inter-district borders, have been set up to monitor vehicular movement and ensure the safe transport of goods. To strengthen surveillance, all district headquarters are operating control rooms to track closed-circuit television (CCTV) feeds, monitor suspicious activity, and locate missing persons.

Additional CCTV cameras have been installed in crowd-prone areas such as Vellore, Gudiyatham, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Arakkonam, and Tiruvannamalai, while drone cameras are monitoring Tiruvannamalai town due to the heavy footfall of devotees at the Arunachaleswara Temple.

Railway stations have also been brought under heightened vigilance. Intensive checks are being carried out in trains and at stations to prevent illegal transportation of firecrackers and to ensure passenger safety.

Mobile X-ray baggage scanner vehicles have been stationed at Katpadi, Arakkonam, Tiruvannamalai, and Jolarpet.

The police are also deploying advanced technology such as the facial recognition system (FRS) mobile App to identify known offenders in real time, with coordination maintained through district-level WhatsApp networks.

Regular patrols are being carried out using four-wheelers and motorcycles to maintain visibility and quick response. In view of the festival rush, women have been advised to stay vigilant against chain-snatchers, and scarves are being distributed at major shopping centres as a precautionary measure.

Emergency response units, including ambulances and Fire and Rescue Service teams, are stationed at key locations to handle any eventualities during the festive season.

—IANS

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