Security beefed up in Punjab Haryana Chandigarh ahead of Independence Day

Chandigarh, Aug 14 (PTI) Security has been beefed up in Punjab and Haryana ahead of Independence Day, with police maintaining strict vigil to check anti-social elements and intensifying patrolling and checking, officials said on Thursday.
     Security has also been tightened in the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
     A thick blanket of security has been deployed around the venues where governors, chief ministers and ministers will unfurl the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day, they said.
     Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will hoist the national flag on the Independence Day at a state-level function in Faridkot.
     His Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini will unfurl the tricolour in Rohtak.
     Security personnel intensified their operation of checking vehicles in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh at inter-state borders and maintained strict vigil to keep an eye on anti-social elements.
     Police also conducted checks at bus stands, railway stations, markets and other places, they said.
     On the eve of Independence Day, the Punjab Police claimed to have foiled a major terror plot orchestrated by Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harwinder Singh Rinda with the arrest of two operatives of the terrorist outfit.
     Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the police recovered two hand grenades and one Beretta 9mm pistol with live cartridges.
     "Acting on specific intelligence inputs, Counter Intelligence, Ferozepur, successfully foiled a major terror plot orchestrated by Harwinder Rinda, a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative based in Pakistan and backed by Pakistan's ISI and apprehends two operatives of BKI, working under the directions of UK, USA, Europe based handlers," Yadav said on X.
     The accused were actively conspiring to target government establishments using grenades, said the DGP.
     The police on Wednesday had said that all the field units had been directed to remain on high alert in Punjab ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
     Yadav earlier held meetings with senior police officers to review law and order by visiting several police ranges, including Ferozepur, Faridkot, Bathinda and Patiala ranges ahead of Independence Day.
     The police also conducted flag marches in the sensitive and vulnerable areas of their respective districts, aimed to boost the confidence of the general public, besides preparing police personnel to tackle any untoward situation.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)