Keeping in view the incidents of communal violence in several parts of the country during religious processions, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed the administration not to allow any religious procession unless prior permission for the same had been obtained.
Adityanath also directed the officials not to allow any new procession and also that the religious processions must follow the traditional routes and no diversion must be allowed under any circumstances.
The state government has also cancelled the leaves of the police personnel till the first week of the next month in view of the forthcoming Eid and Akshoy Tritiya festivals, according to the official sources. Those already on leave have been asked to report within 24 hours.
"We have orders to deal sternly with the trouble mongers.....no new religious events will be allowed to take place during this period," said a senior police official.
The official said that the local police and administration would be holding meetings with the religious leaders of different communities ahead of the festivals to seek their cooperation for peaceful conduct of the processions. "The in-charge of the local police stations will be holding meetings with the religious leaders in the next few days," he added.
Patrolling would be intensified at sensitive places and security personnel in strength would be deployed there to maintain peace, the official said.
Communal violence had erupted in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi during the religious processions on the occasion of Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti.
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