KOLKATA UNSAFE

UNSAFE

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130721/jsp/calcutta/story_17140089.jsp#.Ue6SQ9JHJJB

SWASTIKA MUKHERJEE, actress

We always bragged to friends that Calcutta was the safest city. There was a time when two or three of us, all girls, would take a taxi and return home late… we never thought about safety. Since the Park Street rape case, it seems like there has been a spurt of incidents all around the city, not just in the seedy parts or on desolate roads but in posh areas like Jodhpur Park. Around six months back there was an incident in the lane (in Golf Gardens), which we use as a short cut, even to get things like chips and stuff. That is unthinkable now. Even as early as 8pm seems unsafe in Calcutta.

My daughter Anwesha is in Class IX and sometimes she says she is meeting friends after school or going to South City Mall and would take a rickshaw home. I tell her NO. I feel bad because I used to travel back from school alone from when I was in Class VIII. But I am very scared for my daughter because even in the afternoon I don’t think it’s safe. I tell her she has to take the car or ask one of her friends to drop her home.

Her tuition ends at 8pm and I start panicking by 8.15. I don’t send her out alone to get chips from the local shop because very often there is a group of boys hanging around.

When we plan a party we make sure there are more men than women in the group. Just having to make such calculations is so frustrating.

And the incidents just seem to keep increasing in frequency. Maybe these people have got the message that they can get away with anything. Unless exemplary punishment is meted out to the perpetrators, this issue cannot be addressed.

RILA BANERJEE, singer

The street lamps on our corner of Bright Street have been temperamental for as long as I can remember. In the ’80s, Bright Street used to be a haven for dumping stolen cars, burgled goods stuffed into oversized gunny bags. And frequent calls to Karaya police station.

Cut to the present. The temperamental street lamps persevere. Bright Street is a not-so-bright hub of abuse. Manic morons mercilessly manhandling their girlfriends, wives, sisters, mothers without fear of reprieve. One of them slapped a woman so hard that I was able to pick up the thuds repeatedly through my car, with windows rolled up and air-conditioner on, parked 50 metres away!

It’s an old story, you might argue, but what is this new phenomenon that transforms these imbecile dimwits into self-proclaimed bands of puny-chest-thumping He-men? It’s insane! They swear the law can’t touch them. They believe they’re invincible (after dark only).

It’s for us to call their bluff, with or without the administration’s support. Our badge-bearing lawmen have tastier fish to fry. Our democratically elected representatives, bereft of empathy, spout conspiracy theories, and the common man laments, “We voted for change. We deserve this.”

I did not vote for change. I do not deserve this. Nor do you — even if you DID vote for change.

You don’t get to choose Calcutta. The city chose you.

This is the city I am fortunate to call my home. This is the city that is my safe haven. This is the city that taught me right from wrong. This is the city that taught me not to be afraid. This is the city that encouraged me to speak up, speak out.

I’m aware. I’m also the devil child of colour-coded politics. Believe me, that’s a fate far fatal than staying monochromatic. I can sense wrong. I know wrong. Do not mess with my sensibilities.

Blame Calcutta, if you must — it’s the colour of my skin. Little else matters.

• Attention ladies: Repair, revise and revamp the unacceptable. Be Calcutta’s sternest critic and staunchest supporter. Wear Calcutta on your sleeve. She likes it. Don’t depend upon colour-coded politicians to solve your problem. They have their own agendas. Be the change.

• Attention moron/creep/ignoramus: Feel free to unleash the depraved two-legged hounds, your para-cultivated Bablus, Jhantus, Munnas, Netais and Bubais all you wish, but we shall not be moved.

We will still return at odd-hours and expect to reach home safe. We will still frequent pubs and nightclubs and expect not to be labelled “looj-character” and prostitutes by the administration. We will still enjoy our menthol-tipped cigarettes and expect not to be molested just because we’re happy, high and feeling good.

We will still dress any way we want and expect that YOU do not expect every inch of exposed flesh is yours to grope at will. We will rally together and I promise we will not be silent this time.

And we will leave Calcutta a better place for our children.

Calcutta, I am. For this is home. This is my city. This is my safe haven. She will stay safe for my daughter. And you will not wrench that away from me.

This much is non-negotiable.

Sometime soon, the street lamps on our corner of Bright Street will shine brighter. And safer.

BERNADETTE STARON, a 22-year-old from Germany, in Calcutta for over a month for an internship

I live in a PG accommodation in Salt Lake. That’s where my office is too. I came to Calcutta at a time when people were talking about various stories of rape. People in my PG had also warned me not to stay out too late.

In Calcutta, I don’t wear make-up and I bought myself kurtis and salwars. Partly because I wanted to experience the culture, partly because I didn’t want to attract attention or provoke.

One day, I did wear a bit of make-up and western clothes. At Jadavpur 8B bus stand I had boys and men come up and say: “Hi! Where are you from?” I was very short in my answers and now I also have a special tone that I put on so they know I don’t want to converse.

NANDINI CHAKRAVARTY, businesswoman

The newspaper headlines are becoming usual: political apathy, demoralised police, emboldened goons, victimised women and children, assaulted relatives, minors raped and murdered.

Indulgence from political parties with elections round the corner emboldens these young men to commit crimes. They don’t need to earn a living, or practise a trade, as political parties use their criminal bent of mind to achieve their ends.

My understanding is that the police are demoralised as they know that political pressure will force them to yield when they put these criminals behind bars. Besides, it takes longer to write a judgment for conviction than to pass a verdict of “lack of evidence” and set free the same criminal to commit more crimes. Witnesses are threatened or silenced when the same criminals are out on bail.

The defining incident for me has been when goons ransacked Kalighat police station because they were not allowed to go down a certain road being repaired. If they can treat the police in such a fashion, citizens like us do not stand a chance.

The responsibility of protection of citizens is the primary, fundamental, basic premise under which a government is elected. As an honest taxpayer, I feel the job of citizen protection lies squarely with this elected government.

A civilised society is defined by its ability to protect its young, its women, and its aged. Our elected government has failed on all three counts.

CHIRU SUR, a resident of Entally who has hosted many foreign nationals in the city

Things have become bad, especially in the last one year. In places like Lord’s Bakery in Lake Gardens and the stretch from Navina cinema to the Tollygunge Phari crossing, or the Lake level crossing, there are biker gangs that hang around at cigarette shops that stay open till late. They pass lewd comments when they see a white woman. I have a bunch of friends, including women who are foreign nationals. The moment they see a white woman, they stare, act rough and make passes. And after 1am it’s dangerous. Probably because the women are not local residents, these boys think they’re more vulnerable. That’s the attitude.

BRITTA LEICK-MILDE, a German national and the new general manager of Hyatt Regency

The Jodhpur Park incident is really unfortunate and I feel empathetic towards the victim, who will probably have this memory for a long time. Even though I am still new here, I have found Calcutta to be a very safe, metropolitan city, which I think has fewer incidents like the one that recently took place, than many other places in the world.

The only suggestions I have for female travellers is to be always on the side of caution and not take anything for granted — especially when they are in a new city. From the bureaucratic angle, I would push for enhancement of the public transportation system and have more policing at key points and times.

NINA SAXER, wife of the general manager of Swissotel

What happened was very scary. I attend many social functions and often dress up, so this worried me. Luckily, I have a driver and a car. But I think here, in Calcutta, young women should not take a cab late at night. Incidents like this are happening too often and it’s frightening.

PRIYA SARKAR, a 27-year-old event manager and resident of Tollygunge

Given my work, I often have to stay back at the venue and thus get late. I am a regular clubber as well, but I always make sure I am with close friends or cousins. The stretch near my home gets pretty empty by 11pm. I never avail of public transport after that hour. I stay back at a friend’s place if I have no one to drop me home.

It feels sad to see the mentality of people in the city. I would never ever dare to wear a short skirt and walk on the streets here. If I, belonging to the city, do not feel safe alone, how can I ask my friends from other countries to come here?

PRIYANKA GHOSH, a 24-year-old resident of Howrah

On Friday, I told a friend who has come from Cyprus not to talk to strangers and advised her to return home before 7.30pm. She gave me a bewildered expression, because instead of asking her to enjoy herself in Calcutta, I was going on and on about safety. Later I realised that the concern came very naturally and immediately to me, because deep down I know my city is no longer safe.

GARIMA BARMECHA, a signatory to the citizens’ petition that was submitted to the governor on Thursday

I work on Sarat Chatterjee Avenue, which is the same road on which you have Menoka cinema. There are many occasions when one has needed to take the Metro post-8pm from Rabindra Sarobar to Belgachhia en route to Lake Town, where I live.

Earlier, there would be no worries in walking down Sarat Chatterjee Avenue. But now there is an unspoken fear, as a result of which I usually seek someone from my office to accompany me to the Metro station, which is no more than a six-minute walk.

There is one spot that is particularly vulnerable: alongside the Tollygunge rail bridge on SP Mukherjee Road, which is badly lit and has hardly any pavement. Groups of boys coming from Rabindra Sarobar find this a convenient spot to make advances. I am actually going to check whether the OC of the Charu Market area will read this and post policemen there to protect citizens.

These are some of my suggestions: A police outpost on Sarat Chatterjee Avenue has been discontinued for the last five years and the booth has become a relic. Can it be revived? Can women police constables be deployed in this area where there are so many young girls and women coming to visit Rabindra Sarobar? Can the area below the rail bridge be lit better? Can a CCTV camera be installed at the entrance of the Sarobar Metro station (which serves as a junction of Metro and the local train station) with a poster clearly mentioning the surveillance?

Or would even this be too much to ask of my city?

CHARULATHA BANERJEE, a doctor and resident of Sarat Bose Road

I travel outside the city and country frequently on work and use public transport in most places. Unfortunately, I can’t in Calcutta. My husband is obliged to bring me back home each time I return on a late evening flight from the airport. I have this luxury, but cannot say the same for many of my female colleagues who prefer to stay overnight and return on morning flights.

The simple joy of spending time with friends late in the evening and returning home unchaperoned after dark is now a ritual of text messages — after one reaches, when one leaves, when one is halfway in the cab and so on.

Walking down from the gym on Sarat Bose Road in the evening fully covered in track pants and T-shirt and missing a dupatta for comfort is a feeling of despair beyond description — to back off 100 metres when you see a group of men approaching, perhaps harmless but to be doubly sure: what if they reach out and grope?

A year ago I advised a young American-Indian intern to cover herself up when she travelled on the Metro to ensure that she was safe. She could not comprehend it, she felt she was being punished in the heat. I insisted.

Living in fear of being molested in a city that welcomes the Devi every year but abuses us ordinary women in a million ways every day is one of the many contradictions that needs to be corrected.

EINA AHLUWALIA, jewellery designer

I t’s like suddenly all the psychos in Calcutta have been told there will be no consequences. Do what you like, no one will stop you. They’ve become unafraid. They go about in groups, on bikes, and they molest and rape for entertainment, on a whim. There is arrogance in the way they speak, a sense of entitlement.

“I want to **** her.” WHAT???

Who is this new Calcuttan?! Where did he come from? What is this sudden degradation of our system? We have forgiven Calcutta a lot, for its industrial devolution, the lack of corporate opportunity, the fact that everything comes here last. But now we’re talking about a fear for our safety and lives. A constitutional right to freedom and the right to walk our streets.

And this is 50 per cent of Calcutta’s citizens we’re talking about.

Why do you think Calcutta has become more unsafe for women in recent years? Tellttmetro@abpmail.com

Kolkata police to have specialised anti-terrorist unit

KOLKATA, 23 JUNE: The West Bengal government will raise a new specialised force to deal with terrorism in Kolkata, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Tuesday. The crack unit, to be trained by instructors from the army and the Border Security Force (BSF), will be attached to the Kolkata police. "We already have three battalions of a specialised unit - Straco - to deal with terrorist strikes in areas under the state police. Today it was decided to recruit one battalion for the Kolkata police to fight terrorists," Bhattacharjee said after a meeting of the state cabinet. The specialised force, comprising around one thousand men, will be ready within a year, city police sources said. In a colonial legacy, the West Bengal police has jurisdiction over 18 districts, while the metropolitan area of Kolkata has a separate city police force constituted and administered under Calcutta Police Act,1866 & Calcutta (Suburban Police) Act, 1866. This arrangement is unique in the entire country.

Security forces begin final push to end Lalgarh seige

Lalgarh, June 19: After tasting some success in breaking through ‘human shields’ at several places en route to Lalgarh, WB police and other security forces on Friday resumed their operation to clear out the area of Maoists. About nine companies of security forces led by the state police forces and backed by CRPF men resumed ‘Operation Lalgarh’ early morning today – to gain control of the area which has been dubbed as a free zone by the Left ultras. Cops fearing landmine or claymore mines are employing anti-mine vehicles to sanitise the area as the forces begin moving through the forest towards the ground zero – where the Maoists are holed up. It was precisely this reason that the operation was halted for the night, yesterday, as the forces did not want to cross the Jhitka jungle beyond Pirrakula at night fearing the mines.

Helicopters are also being seen hovering over the area; the choppers have also dropped some leaflets, asking people not to sympathise with the rebels. Police said there are nearly 100 blockades that the securitymen would have to breakthrough en route to Lalgarh. Most residents of the villages fled their homes before the arrival of the security forces. The West Bengal government has already rejected negotiations with Maoists saying "so long there is violence and obstruction, there cannot be any discussion". Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhatacharjee said his government was ready to hold talks with tribals on their grievances, and appealed to the Lalgarh villagers not to get provoked by Maoist rebels and not let themselves be used as human shields by the Left radicals. State home secretary Ardhendu Sen said doors for discussions were open, but first the violence needed to stop. He said similar operations will also be launched in Bankura and Purulia districts. "We will make all the 18 police stations in the three Maoist affected districts free of the rebels". Yesterday, the forces came up against a 'human wall' at Malida, as hundreds of tribals carrying traditional weapons like bows and arrows, shovels, pickaxes and canes blocked the way by felling big trees on the road as they shouted slogans like "Inqilab Zindabad" and "Maoism zindabad". The police started baton charging and lobbing tear gas shells, and succeeded in dispersing the protesters. Two rebels as well as a lensman accompanying the security forces were injured, eyewitnesses said, but police did not confirm the news. The police raided some houses in the vicinity and detained a few people before resuming their march. Clashes between security personnels and Maoists were reported from Doima, Raj Kanojia Bankura. Maoist guerrillas have been active in organising a tribal movement alongside a group called the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA). The ultras have demanded that the Centre and state government apologise to the tribal people of Lalgarh if they wanted a peaceful and amicable resolution to the stand-off. "The Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and Home Minister (P Chidambaram) have started a psychological warfare by amassing huge forces. If they start the operations, we will resist with the help of the people who are with us," CPI-Maoist politburo member Kishanjee said over phone. He said the rebel group has decided to call for a two-day shutdown beginning Monday in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar. Lalgarh has been on the boil since last November when a landmine exploded on the route of the convoy of Chief Minister Bhattacharjee and then central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada. Maoists have been active in the three western districts of the state - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. They also backed the Trinamool-sponsored movement against the state government's bid to establish a chemical hub at Nandigram in East Midnapore district.

NSG chief holds talks over force hub in West Bengal

KOLKATA: J.K. Dutt, chief of the National Security Guard (NSG), Friday held talks with West Bengal home secretary Ardhendu Sen over selecting land for a proposed hub of the anti-terrorism crack force in the state.“I had a discussion with home secretary Ardhendu Sen regarding land to set up the NSG hub and an anti-hijack squad in West Bengal. I have told him about our land requirements and he has assured all possible help,” Dutt told reporters at the secretariat Writer’s Building here. Dutt, however, declined to give details of the meeting.

“Nothing has been finalised yet, so there is no point in discussing it with the media. I will be having another meeting with Sen on Feb 25. Hopefully, I will be in a position to talk after that,” the NSG chief said. “All I want to say is that no matter where we get the land, the state will get its NSG hub and anti-hijack squad soon,” he added.

According to a source at the secretariat, Dutt has asked for 1,200-1,400 acres of land for the NSG hub and a comparatively smaller land near the city airport for the anti-hijack squad. “There are proposals for three lands - near Kalaikunda Air Force Station in West Midnapore district, at Barrackpore town in North 24 Parganas district and at Kaikhali near the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

WB seeks greater coordination between Centre, state agencies

New Delhi, 6th January: West Bengal on Tuesday sought greater coordination in intelligence sharing between Central and state agencies to fight terror and its Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the process should essentially be a "two-way process".

Stressing that terrorists should not be linked to any religious group, Bhattacharjee said such attempts were fraught with the danger of widening rift between different religious and linguistic groups in the country, "thus weakening our determination to fight terrorism unitedly."

Addressing the Chief Ministers' conclave on internal security here, Bhattacharjee observed that the present arrangements for collection and dissemination of intelligence in states and the Centre was sometimes done in a disjointed manner and the process was "far from satisfactory".

Responding to Home Minister P Chidambaram's appeal to states to forward intelligence inputs to the Intelligence Bureau and central agencies, he said while he would advise the agencies in West Bengal to do so, "intelligence agencies in the states hardly receive useful inputs on regular basis from the office of the Central IB situated in the state."

Pointing to instances in which the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau in states "could hardly enlighten the state IB and Home Departments" on terror threats in time, Bhattacharjee said the process of information sharing and coordination "should essentially be a two-way process."

While agreeing to "seriously act upon" the suggestions made by Chidambaram, he stressed that besides strengthening the intelligence network and raising professional competence of security forces, "building up of people's awareness on the terrorist menace" was absolutely essential.

Central forces for Nandigram by-elections

Kolkata, 2 January, 2009: Around 15 companies of central forces are being sent to Nandigram for the Assembly by-elections to be held on January 5, according to West Bengal Chief Secretary Ardhendu Sen.

Mr. Sen, who took over from Ashok Mohan Chakraborty, told reporters at the Secretariat that of these, seven would be from the Border Security Force and the rest from the Central Reserve Police Force. The Director-General of Police as well the Chief Election Officer held meetings with local officials in Nandigram on Friday.

Inspector-General (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said there would be armed police in every booth and high-range security measures would be put in place, but did not elaborate. The West Bengal government had asked the Centre to send 20 companies of central forces for three by-elections including Nandigram.

Govt to demand centralised system to identify fishermen

Kolkata, 28 December: The state government will demand a centralised system for all the coastal states to confirm the identity of those fishermen, whose boat is intercepted by the police on the basis of suspicion. The demand will be raised in a meeting of home secretaries and DGPs of all the coastal states convened by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta in Delhi on Monday.

The meeting will make an assessment of the progress made by the state governments in securing coastal areas of their respective states. “If a boat from Andhra Pradesh or Orissa is intercepted in Bengal, we may like to check the identity of the fishermen. But unless we have access to a centralised system, we cannot ascertain their identity. Similar situation may arise if a boat registered with us is intercepted in other states,” said Asok Mohan Chakrabarti, state Home Secretary, who will attend the meeting as well as the tripartite talks on Gorkhaland.

He added that if he could not make it on time for the coastal security meeting it will be DGP A B Vohra who will attend it. The West Bengal government is going to set up six coastal police stations and 17 outposts along its 269-km-long shore with Bangladesh. It is also going to get buy boats, sophisticated weapons and other equipment for coastal security.

According to Chakrabarti, besides these measures, the state government will furnish another plan to the Central government to ensure security along the state’s coast line.

Maoists raid police camp, two constables killed

Purulia (PTI): Maoists on Monday attacked a police camp, killing two constables in West Bengal's Purulia district. A 20-member gang of Maoists on motorbikes and on foot raided the police camp at Berada, Purulia Superintendent of Police Rajesh Yadav said.

They opened fire on the policemen killing two constables-- Totan Seth (25) and Chinmoiy Mondal (27)-- and seriously injuring another. The policemen who were caught unawares, took time to return the fire, he said. The attackers managed to escape with three rifles, Yadav, who led reinforcements to the spot, said. The injured policeman was rushed to hospital.

A combing operation has been launched. Yadav said that the Maoists had earlier put up posters in the area threatening of "action" if a panchayat-sponsored community centre was set up near the police camp. Maoist violence was last witnessed at Burrabazar, Bandwan and Balarampur areas in the district in May this year.

WB to set up six coastal police stations

Kolkata, Dec 11 (PTI): The West Bengal government is setting up six coastal police stations and 17 coastal outposts, following a central directive for strengthening coastal security after the Mumbai terror attacks."Six coastal police stations will be set up. Of these, five would be set up by Sunderbans Infrastructure Development Corporation and another by PWD. Besides, 17 coastal outposts and check posts would also be set up," Home Secretary Asok Mohun Chakraborty told newsmen after a high-level meeting to review coastal security.

The police stations would come up at Frasergunj, Haldibari, Digha-Demohana, Moipeeth-Krisnamohanpur, Hemnagar and Khejuri-Talpatti.According to Chakraborty, the police stations would operate from available premises till 'appropriate' premises were found and private vessels would be hired for coastal patrolling till the Centre sent launches and hi-speed boats for the purpose.The meeting was attended by DGP A B Vohra, SPs of three coastal districts and other officers. PTI

Commandos for West Bengal stations

KOLKATA, 2nd December,2008: Commandos of the West Bengal police will be deployed in four major railway stations in the State in a move to tighten security in the wake of the recent terrorist strike in Mumbai. Vigil has also been intensified across the State and along its border with Bangladesh.

The decision to deploy the commandos in Sealdah and Howrah stations as well as in Kharagpur station and in New Jalpaiguri in north Bengal was taken at a review meeting of senior State and police officials here on Monday.

Intelligence inputs of various agencies were discussed at the meeting. The government railway police admitted that given its present strength it would be difficult to tackle any eventuality and there is a requirement for additional security forces in the major railway hubs, sources in the Eastern Railway said.

Elaborate security measures were being taken in the city though there was no specific threat, the city’s Commissioner of Police, Gautam Mohan Chakravarty, said.

Kolkata Police seek new anti-terrorism force, tenant database

Kolkata, Nov 29,2008: Gearing up after the country's most brazen terrorist strike in Mumbai, Kolkata Police Thursday issued a notification directing the house-owners to maintain a complete database of tenants and requested the West Bengal government to raise a special anti-insurgenct commando force.

"We've decided to make it mandatory for all the landlords (house-owners) to fill up a 'tenant profile form' and submit it to the local police station. We've already issued a notification today following the attack in Mumbai," Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohon Chakraborty told a press conference.

He said the police wanted to maintain a thorough database of all tenants in the city and its surrounding areas. "We'll soon give a deadline to complete this process. Those violating the norms will be penalised under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), according to the gravity of the offence," he said.

"In that case, the offenders might face a jail term - from one to six months - and a fine," said Chakraborty, adding Kolkata Police would also send a proposal to the state government for forming a special action commando battalion to fight critical terror attack.

"We're constantly in touch with Mumbai Police and keeping a tab on the situation. We're also sharing information and intelligence with Mumbai Police and other sister agencies," he said but declined to share the operational details.

Security measures have been stepped up in Kolkata and its adjoining districts after serious terrorist attacks rocked India's commercial capital Wednesday night, leaving at least 101 killed and several injured.

The police said additional forces along with sniffer dogs and metal detectors have already been deployed in all district police headquarters and major railway stations across the state. "Kolkata Police have already issued a security advisory notice for all the hotels and commercial building owners in the city to abide by the norms. The guidelines would soon be circulated to schools, markets and shopping mall authorities also.," he said.

"We're also trying to formulate strict measures for telephone booths as people often make crank calls from the public booths and cause unnecessary panic," he said. Chakraborty mentioned that three hoax calls, including in the office of a leading Bengali daily and a central public sector undertaking office, were reported Thursday. The Kolkata Police top brass had an emergency meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty Thursday morning.

"Metal detectors have been installed at all vital places in the city, especially at five-star hotels, shopping malls, multiplexes, airport and metro rail stations. There will be at police picketing at all major road junctions and crowded places," Chakraborty said. He said no vehicle or person would be allowed to enter unchecked important places like hotels and airport .

"Every vehicle and every person will be thoroughly checked before entering important places like hotels, malls and airport. There will be heavy police security in and outside these places. Our officers have been instructed to report anything and anyone suspicious," said Chakraborty.
Watertight security has been arranged, especially for five-star hotels.

People entering hotels like the Taj Bengal are not only undergoing a metal detector test but sniffer dogs are also used to check them and their baggage thoroughly. Besides, two-layer police security has been posted at the hotels. The number of security guards has also been increased.

The Kolkata Port Trust will Friday hold a high-level meeting to review its security arrangements."There is a high-level secuirty apparatus in the port as per the Internaitonal shipping and Port Facility Security Code. It is reviewed by the Directorate General of Shipping from time to time. Whenever it sees any deficiency, the DGS points it out and identifies the reason" said a highly placed KoPT official.

Alert in West Bengal after terrorist attack in Mumbai

KOLKATA, November 27, 2008 :An alert was sounded on Wednesday night across West Bengal, including the eastern metropolis in the wake of terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Checking at entry points in the metropolis have been intensified and additional forces posted in vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure, city Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty told a news agency.

He said extra police personnel have been deployed in front of railway stations, big hotels, government offices and vital installations."We are keeping watch on the situation in Mumbai and have kept our forces alert here," he said.

Meanwhile, security has also been strengthened at the Sealdah, Howrah and Kolkata stations and Railway police asked to be vigilant in both Eastern and Southeastern Railways.