Exposed, UP cops scramble to plug Ayodhya breach

The Uttar Pradesh government today ordered a high-level probe into the security lapses at the Ayodhya site exposed by The Sunday Express yes...

The Uttar Pradesh government today ordered a high-level probe into the security lapses at the Ayodhya site exposed by The Sunday Express yesterday. This reporter and a photographer had on Saturday driven past five security barricades unchecked, right up to the blast site.

The UP Principal Secretary (Home), Alok Sinha, said the UP DGP, Yashpal Singh, has been asked to submit a report.

The Sunday Express team, in a reconstruction of the terrorist attack, drove a car with tinted glasses past five police checkposts on Saturday morning into the sprawling Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex at exactly the same time as the terrorists on July 5. The car was neither stopped nor checked at any point along the route and the team finally reached the security fence which the terrorists had breached by blowing up a jeep full of explosives.

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Speaking to this reporter today, UP Additional DGP A Palanivel, who is also the nodal officer for the investigations, admitted that security checks at Ayodhya are ‘‘not in sync with the current requirements in light of the terrorist attack’’. The Ministry of Home Affairs has now called for a meeting of all Central and UP security agencies in New Delhi on July 14 for a complete overhaul of the security set-up around the Ram Janambhoomi complex, said Palanivel. ‘‘The present system was put in place after the Babri Masjid demolition, mainly with the objective of mob control. Hence, barricades were set up on the fenced perimeter of the 67-acre complex and 13 watchtowers were set up inside. With terrorists targeting Ayodhya, the system needs lots of changes.’’

The ADGP, along with IG CRPF, IB Joint Director, Faizabad Commissioner and IG Lucknow Zone, has prepared a blueprint of the new security system which will be presented at the Delhi meeting.

	’Ask CRPF to send list’

			• ADGP A Palanivel heads the committee which will decide how the Rs 35-lakh award is distributed. Reacting to the Express report on how the award money had split PAC and CRPF personnel, Palanivel said the committee will ensure justice. ‘‘The CRPF has no reason to be demoralised. Let the IG CRPF forward a list to me regarding his jawans. We will ensure the cash award is distributed among the deserving PAC, local police and CRPF personnel. It was a joint operation,’’ he said.

Under the new system, the security at the barricades leading up to Ram Janambhoomi will be made ‘‘absolutely foolproof’’ and no vehicle will now be allowed to pass without checking, said the ADGP. ‘‘We are not interested in completely doing away with PAC and the local police guarding the outer perimeter. But if the Centre asks for total CRPF deployment, we will be left with little choice,’’ said the ADGP.

Palanivel pointed out the other big handicap was that there were no floodlights on the route leading to the complex or inside. Floodlights will now be installed.

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Another source of worry for the police are the 13 overhead watchtowers. ‘‘These towers were set up arbitrarily inside the fenced area. Most of them, except two, are located far inside the perimeter while they all should be next to the fencing,’’ said Palanivel. He said the towers were open from all sides and there was no protection for the policemen who would be the first targets in a terrorist attack. ‘‘We will be setting up bulletproof screens at these towers,’’ said the ADGP.