Babri Verdict: Security Tightened

In the wake of the Supreme Court lifting its stay on the delivery of the Allahabad High Court verdict on the 60-year-old Babri Masjid title suit, City Police Commissioner A K Khan, on Tuesday, tightened security in the city by deploying 20,000 police personnel to prevent untoward incidents.

Talking to media persons after convening a security review meeting with officials, the Police Commissioner said that stringent action would be initiated against anti-social elements and those who resorted to or promoted violence after the verdict was delivered.

Khan said that Section 144 had been extended for 1 more week to maintain law and order in the city. He also stated that pillion riders would be prevented on 2-wheelers, between 9pm and 6am, Wednesday onwards.

In order to maintain peace in the city, the police will conduct peace committee meetings with all religious heads on Wednesday.

The police chief appealed to all sections of people to observe calm and restraint and cooperate with police in maintenance of law and order.

A 3-judge Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court will pronounce the verdict in the Ayodhya case on September 30th at 3.30 pm, after the Apex Court lifted its week-long interim stay orders passed last Thursday.

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, dismissed the plea for postponing the verdict in the Babri Masjid title suit case filed by Ramesh Chandra Tripathi.

Tripathi wanted more time for parties to work out an out-of-court settlement in the case.

Earlier, Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy stated that the police machinery was capable of meeting any kind of situation in the aftermath of the Allahabad High Court's verdict.

Sabitha asked people to maintain calm and restraint and help police in the maintenance of law and order.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry alerted 6 states – Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh - over the possible communal violence in the aftermath of the verdict.

Courtesy: INN