UP police issued a statewide high alert in light of the verdict, in the Babri mosque demolition case, to be handed over by the CBI special court (Ayodhya case) in Lucknow on Wednesday, senior officials said. police.
(Full coverage of the Babari Masjid case)
Officials said all district police chiefs have been asked to keep the force vigilant and on standby to counter any kind of public order situation that may arise after the verdict. They said that additional police force has been kept in reserve in Lucknow and other sensitive districts, including Ayodhya.
A senior police official familiar with the events said that police officers have been ordered to control the movement of people in Lucknow and Ayodhya and not allow meetings before and after the verdict. “In Lucknow, together with the civil police, CRPF staff will also be deployed on and off the high court campus where the CBI special court will render its verdict,” she said.
Lucknow Police Commissioner (CP) Sujeet Pandey said that a three-tier security system has been deployed in and around the court, including personnel from civilian police units, the anti-terror squad and the deactivation squad. of bombs. He said that more than 1,000 policemen are deployed for three-layer security.
The PC said that the roads in the area were strategically barricaded for the control of the mafia and CCTV cameras have been installed at different strategic points to capture each activity. He said that large route diversions have been implemented since Wednesday morning to ensure that court chaos is not caused.
“As part of the security arrangements, no one will be allowed to enter the courtroom except for CBI and defense attorneys and defendants,” reported another Lucknow police officer. He said that entry will only be allowed from gate number 8 of the court. Barricades have been placed on all adjoining roads in the vicinity of the court to restrict the movement of vehicles, he added.
Also read: Babri demolition case verdict today, D-day for Advani and 31 others
Twenty-six of the 32 defendants in the case are likely to be present in court when the verdict is rendered, an official said on condition of anonymity. The 32 defendants face charges under various sections of the IPC, including criminal conspiracy, rioting, promoting enmity between different groups and illegal assembly.
The official quoted above said that the top BJP leaders, LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, will probably not be present in court due to health reasons when the verdict is rendered.
Also read: The mosque in Ayodhya can be square shaped like the Kaaba: trusted official
Shiv Sena leader Satish Pradhan and Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das are also unlikely to be present at court.
The remaining 26 defendants will arrive at the IWC court at 10 a.m. on Wednesday before Judge Surendra Kumar Yadav arrives in the courtroom.
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