Shillong, Jan. 26 : Amid the 24-hour ritual bandh call given by the Khasi hills-based Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), police today said the existing forces would be enough to guard the Republic Day celebrations.
“We do not foresee any untoward incident and hope that the celebrations will be peaceful,” the superintendent of police, East Khasi Hills, A.R. Mawthoh, said today.
He asked the people not to panic because of the bandh call and come out in large numbers to attend Republic Day celebrations as this was an occasion to celebrate and not to stay indoors. He said the state was alert and the police and the CRPF would be deployed to maintain law and order.
The police have not ruled out the possibility of several militants coming together to create law and order problem as militant groups from other parts of the Northeast, including neighbouring Assam, have also called bandhs.
The BSF has alerted its men to step up vigil along the border because of frequent movement of militants there. Northeast militants often use Garo hills and parts of Ri Bhoi to move tBangladesh.
Governor R.S. Mooshahary will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Polo, in the morning. The district administration has arranged buses for people from different localities to reach the venue.
The governor has allowed the entry of the people to Raj Bhavan for two days from tomorrow as part of the Republic Day celebrations.
Since no bandh has been called in Garo hills, a large turnout is expected in all its three districts.
The main militant outfit in Garo hills, the Achik National Volunteers Council, which demands a separate Garoland within the constitutional frame work of India, is currently under ceasefire and has not called any bandh.