Tight security for grand Ayodhya Diwali; fireworks cancelled

Faizabad: The district administration has cancelled the fireworks scheduled on the Diwali eve and steped up security as it prepares to welcome Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for a grand celebration in the city. Adityanath is scheduled to visit the city on October 18 when a grand firework was scheduled on the banks of Saryu River.

However, Faizabad District Magistrate Anil Kumar said on Monday the firework programme has been cancelled due to security reasons. The state government has planed to celebrate the festival in a grand manner in the temple town of Ayodhya and special arrangements have been made.

Faizabad SSP Subhash Singh Baghel is keeping himself busy round the clock arranging security system in town. “The Ayodhya city divided in three security zones, we are keeping the security of the red security zone where the disputed site of Ram Janambhoomi falls on the top priority in our security arrangements,” he told PTI.

The security forces have been put on high alert, he said. About 20,000 security personals have been deployed at all the vital places, guarding the city round the clock. Special arrangements have been made to provide fullproof security to the procession of Lord Rama including at the halipad for the chopper (‘Pushpak Viman’) that will ferry Lord Rama to Ayodhya.

About 2,000 Intelligence persons and police commandos in the same number armed with automatic weapons and electronic devices have been deployed all over Ayodhya.  SSP Baghel said, “The Babri site is already under the guard of para military forces, we have also deployed rapid action force along with provincial armed constabulary in the second yellow security zone and civil police and home guards in third greed security zone.”

Along with guarding the land, the Faizabad police have also tried to cover the river Saryu under the security cordon. PAC divers and sharpshooters armed with night vision devices and long range riffles have been deployed in the river on combat boats to ensure security during the programmes to be held on the banks of river Saryu.

Baghel said all the security systems are activated, and the personals are on guards round the clock from today. Meanwhile, the administration conducted a full dress reharseal today of the procession of the home-coming of Lord Rama from exile.