SHILLONG : The East Khasi Hills district police have stepped up security arrangements across the district ahead of the 80th Independence Day celebrations, with additional forces deployed at key and vulnerable locations.
Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and incident-free celebrations across East Khasi Hills.
The main state-level flag-hoisting ceremony for the district will be held at Polo Grounds in Shillong, which is expected to witness a large gathering.
“The district police have made elaborate arrangements for the 80th Independence Day celebrations. We have the biggest flag hoisting in the state at Polo, and the two sub-divisions in Sohra and Pynursla will also have separate parades and functions there,” Syiem said while speaking to the media on Friday.
Police cover vulnerable locations
According to the SP, police have identified vulnerable locations across the district and security personnel have been deployed accordingly.
“Deployments have been made at several places and all vulnerable areas have been covered. The district police are on a state of alert and we will ensure that this is an incident-free Independence Day,” Syiem said.
He added that both specialised teams and regular police teams have been put in place as part of the security arrangements.
Additional forces deployed across district
The East Khasi Hills Police have also received additional forces ahead of the celebrations. These personnel have been deployed round the clock at strategic locations across the district.
“Additional forces have come to the district and they have been deployed in various places 24/7. I will not give you the numbers, but several companies are here,” the SP said.
The heightened security comes as Meghalaya prepares to celebrate Independence Day on August 15, with major programmes scheduled across the state.
Police have urged people attending the celebrations to cooperate with security personnel and follow the necessary safety and security guidelines.