JOIN USState placed on Ayodhya alert
The government has banned sale of liquor for 24 hours from 6 am on Thursday and decided not to allow either celebrations or protests in reaction to the verdict. The minister and DG & IGP Ajai Kumar Singh, on Wednesday, held a video conference with deputy commissioners and superintendents of police on precautionary measures.
Ashok said the DCs and SPs were told to conduct meetings with religious leaders for maintaining peace. The officers had been directed to impose prohibitory orders in sensitive areas and deploy forces to avoid untoward incidents. The district administration had been told to take action against those sell petrol or diesel in bottles.
The DCs had been empowered to make use of vehicles of all departments, for patrolling, if found necessary. All police officers and officers of Revenue Department had been asked to stay put in their workplaces for next two-three days. No police officer would be allowed to go on leave.
The minister said closed circuit TV cameras and video cameras would be installed in select places. The department had hired services of private agencies to install the cameras. About 100-150 cameras would be installed in each district, he said. Ajai Kumar Singh said the government had appealed to the Centre to send some battalions of Rapid Action Force.
Due to requirement of more battalions in Delhi and other areas, Karnataka did not get additional forces. However, the state government had sufficient force to handle the situation. The police had held meetings with various sections of society and appealed to maintain peace.
Both the minister and DGP appealed to media not to broadcast or publish pictures and videos which could provoke the public.
Restrictions today
* Senior officers asked to be stationed at workplace
* No leave for police personnel
* Liquor sales banned for 24 hours
* Media appealed not to broadcast provocative videos, pictures
* Curb on sale of petrol, diesel in bottles
* No permission for either celebrations, or protests