Ensure tight security during Deepawali, Centre to states

The Centre on Monday asked states to be alert and ensure foolproof security around places of worship and communally senstive areas as the country is going to celebrate Deepawali.

In an advisory to the states, the home ministry asked authorities in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Vadodara to remain alert against any communal tension. Vadodara in Gujarat had witnessed communal clashes recently.

The security establishment fear that terror outfits and anti-social elements may try to disrupt the celebrations by planning attacks and advised the states to deploy more policemen on streets to ensure law and order.

The Centre cited that many places in the country had recently witnessed communal tension during the festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja. The advisory said that Deepawali celebration is set to attract huge crowd and there needs to be a great deal of alertness as crowded places could be targeted by forces inimical to the country.

Also, there could be issues related to bursting of fire crackers, use of loud speakers, raising of provocative slogans by members of one community, forcible collection of donations, installation of idols at disputed places, acts of misbehaviour and eve teasing.
“It is necessary that continued vigil and proper security arrangements are made at places of worship during the festival especially in the communally hyper sensitive/sensitive areas to prevent communal disturbances,” the advisory said.