Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 28: The police vigil in all the villages in this taluk bordering Kerala state, has been intensified in view of the serial blasts that jolted Bangalore on Friday and susbsequent calls received by some television channels about possible blasts in Kerala.

Police sources said, that the high vigil is being observed in tune with instructions received from the state home department. Puttur taluk is connected to Kerala state on three sides. Although there had been suspicions that the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) had been conducting activities from villages bordering this taluk, the police sources had claimed that these forces were not getting any support for their activities. The citizens who are not ready to believe this theory, claim that SIMI activists have been active all over the rural belt of the taluk in the guise of various other organizations.

Reliable sources said, that the intelligence wing of the state government has been conducting special intelligence drive in this belt, collecting information about suspicious organizations and people. The wing is concentrating its attention on ascertaining the presence of SIMI or such other organizations working with similar objectives, in the taluk.

It may be recalled, that the state had received information three years ago from the Kerala police that a citizen of Pakistan had gained entry into the taluk through Kasargod, and had hidden himself in a secret place. Although policemen belonging to intelligence wing searched for him all over the taluak, the case lost steam in course of time.

The department has not come out with any information of any  suspected organizations working from the taluk against the national interest, since about the last 15 years. The IPS officers posted to Puttur sub-division too concentrate normally on terrorist activites. The team of policemen headed by Puttur assistant superintendent police had made an attempt to catch hold of a suspected person from near Mudipu last year, but the person succeeded in giving a slip them.

It is difficult to say that terrorism that shook the state capital will not enter the taluk. It also can not be totally denied, that terrorists may be having some roots here.  The citizens need to be vigilant and work in tandem with the policemen to ensure that the taluk continues to be a safe place and also that it does not become a breeding ground for terrorist elements.