TEAM HERALD
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OLD GOA: With a few days left for Narendra Modi’s ‘Vijay Sankalp’ rally, SP Tony Fernandes accompanied by an Intelligence Bureau officer and a team of police officials visited the venue to chalk out security arrangements at Merces on Monday.
The team, which included Intelligence Bureau officer Allwyn Nair, DySP Chandrakant Salgaonkar, PI Nolasco Raposo, Old Goa PI Krishna Sinari and other officials, met the organisers of the programme and gathered inputs from them on the overall planning for the rally.
When the organisers informed that there will be one main entrance gate of 12 metres and two more gates of 6 metres each on either side of the entrance, SP Fernandes suggested that the organisers put up four such gates, two each on either side of the main entrance.
Fernandes then directed the organisers to put up a tent where the police personnel can be posted. “I also want a copy of the plan and also the information of the contractor along with the details of the workers employed,” Fernandes told the organisers.
Fernandes also directed Old Goa PI to verify the antecedents of workers staying in the two illegal scrap yards, which are located very close to the venue, while issuing directions to the police inspector to direct the owners to remove the scrap yards at the earliest.
“On the day of the rally, the entire area has to be cordoned off and everybody should be asked to vacate the premises,” Fernandes directed the Old Goa PI, while asking him to post police personnel at these places so that nobody sneaks into the premises, on the day of the rally.
Noticing a rivulet hardly 100 metres away from the stage, SP Fernandes issued further directions to the Old Goa Police to engage the services of two swimmers, two days prior to the rally, and search the area for the presence of any suspects.
With the venue plan including a helipad for landing of Modi’s helicopter, Fernandes urged the organisers to study the feasibility of the helipad as the area is a low-lying with soft soil. “Otherwise, a helipad can be prepared at Campal grounds and Modi can be driven to the venue,” Fernandes suggested.
