Modi in Karnataka: Police on high alert amid Agnipath protests

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Police are on high alert mode as the intelligence agencies have warned that protests on the Agnipath scheme might break out during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rallies in Karnataka.

Modi is visiting the state for a 2-day tour after one-and-a-half years. He will arrive at the Bengaluru Yelahanka Indian Air Force Base at 11.55 a.m. on Monday. Modi will participate in 10 programmes organised in Bengaluru and Mysuru cities, including the International Yoga Day on June 21.

The state police department taking no chances has deputed more than 10,000 police personnel to ensure no untoward incident takes place during the Prime Minister's programmes according to sources. The focus would be on the Kommaghatta public function where PM Modi is addressing a massive rally.

The sources said that the protesters on the pretext of BJP workers might enter the venue in Kommaghatta where PM Modi is addressing a massive rally and stage a protest condemning the Agnipath scheme. Several organisations have given a call for protest against the Agnipath scheme.

The routes through which the PM's convoy passes have been monitored by the police personnel since Sunday. The shops have been asked to close down and schools and colleges in the vicinity are being asked to declare a holiday. Congress State President D.K. Shivakumar has condemned the move of declaring holiday for schools and raised questions "Whether students are being considered as terrorists?"

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy himself is monitoring the security arrangements. Two Additional Police Commissioners, 2 Joint Police Commissioners, 12 DCP's, 30 ACP's, 80 police inspectors will be on field to ensure security. The police department has deputed more than 10,000 police personnel around the city.

Modi will inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation for 19 projects worth more than Rs 33,000 crore. He will inaugurate the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) built at a cost of Rs 280 crore at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) at 12.30 p.m.

The creation of CBR and the vital research being carried out in rural Karnataka will provide appropriate, evidence- based public health interventions to delay the onset of dementia and slow its progress.

PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for 832-bedded not-for-profit Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital, which will be built at a cost of Rs 425 crore. This will integrate science, engineering and medicine on a single campus, taking full advantage of the century-old excellence of IISc in science and engineering.

He will arrive at the Bengaluru University Campus at 1.45 p.m. and dedicate 150 ITI's upgraded as Technology Hubs at a cost of Rs 4,736 crore. He will inaugurate Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar School of Economics University (BASE) and unveil the statue of Ambedkar.

Modi will reach Kommaghatta at 2.45 p.m. to inaugurate a slew of programmes and address a massive public gathering. He will dedicate the project of 100 per cent Electrification of the Konkan Railways at a cost of Rs 1,287 which saves 70 per cent fuel expenditure.

Sir M. Visvesvaraya Railway Terminal in Bengaluru, built at a cost of Rs 314 crore, the centrally air-conditioned terminal -- a first in south India will be dedicated to the nation. He will flag off new train services between Arsikere-Tumkur and Yelahanka-Penukonda as work of doubling of tracks is completed at a cost of Rs 758 and Rs 1,104 crore respectively.

PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for the ambitious and decade-old plan of Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project which will be built at a cost of Rs 15,767 crore with a route length of 148 kilometres. He will lay the foundation for 5 national highway projects and development of Multi-Modal Logistic Park in Bengaluru. He will reach Mysuru and take part in the function organized at the Maharaja College Grounds at 5.30 p.m.