Punjab Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan asks cops to submit report on House security plan

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, December 17

Following the smoke bomb attack in Parliament, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has asked the police to submit a report immediately on the security plan of the Vidhan Sabha with recommendations to avoid attacks similar to Parliament incident.

New changes likely

• One of the immediate challenges will be to check shoes of visitors as miscreants hid canisters in their shoes for the Parliament attack
• The system of issuing visitors passes is likely to be fine-tuned with the review of the security
• A special focus may be laid on a swift reaction team or special training to the staff to act immediately

The Speaker has also asked the ‘Watch and Ward’ staff to submit a similar report. Talking to The Tribune, Sandhwan said he had sought the reports to assess the current security plan and prepare for new challenges. “One of the immediate challenges will be to check shoes of visitors to the Assembly as miscreants hid canisters in their shoes for the Parliament attack,” he added. Another would be to think ahead of miscreants, who can try to devise new ways to hide a protest material or some lethal substance or weapon.

The system of issuing visitors passes, based on the invites or recommendations by MLAs, is likely to be fine-tuned with the review of the security. In the past, the Assembly staff had declined entry to some visitors who wore black clothes as the colour signified protest. Some mediapersons were also told not to wear black clothes. “A complete background check of the visitors will have to be mandatory,” said a police official.

In the Vidhan Sabha, the ‘Watch and Ward’ staff keep a vigil within the Assembly while the police provide security outside. The police frisk every person, including visitors, staff and mediapersons. It has been a common practice to deploy cops from the Intelligence wing also for the security. These are part of the ‘Watch and Ward’ staff also. The staff keep vigil in media gallery and visitor’s gallery.

Sources said a special focus may be laid to a swift reaction team or special training to the staff to act immediately in case of a suspicious activity.