Police Take Precautionary Steps At IT, BT Firms For I-Day

Security alert in infotech zone
Police Take Precautionary Steps At IT, BT Firms For I-Day
The Times of India

Bangalore: It’s an Independence Day alert: Security measures are being taken up as a precaution at Bangalore’s ITPL and Electronic City, which house some of the global IT biggies.

This comes as part of a nationwide alert on increased terrorist attacks. But this has had ripples in the infotech corridor, sending a chain reaction among security agencies which have sought details on employees at ITPL and Electronic City. The Bangalore Rural police, under whose jurisdiction the IT and Biotech firms fall, have put their personnel on a special security exercise. However, the police are quick to add that these are only safeguards.

The measures include identifying heads of important firms staying in the area, seeking information from companies about number of employees, their nationality, and the number of years spent in their present job. SP (Rural) Prashanth Kumar Thakur said meetings have been held with some firms and security measures discussed. While security at the major companies is being screened thoroughly, smaller firms are advised to take adequate measures.

The police are also taking up vital issues of access control with the firms, advising them not “to compromise’’ whatsoever. A senior police officer said access control will be vital at the four entry/exit points at ITPL and six at Electronic City. “It is not possible to deploy personnel at all offices. Though skeletal staff can be provided, the companies’ security set-up will be instructed on adequate precautions,’’ he added.
City police commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh said: “We are aware of the situation and precautions are being taken.’’

An ITPL official confirmed that they had received communication from the police seeking information on employees as also the existing security set-up. Major IT and BT firms and multinational companies located in Bangalore Rural include Infosys, Wipro, Coke and Pepsi bottling plants, Biocon, Toyota and Honeywell.