Journalism of Courage
The UP government late Friday issued directives for preventive arrests of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders who are engaged in making arrangements for the proposed 84-kosi parikrama on August 25. Sources said 515 VHP leaders have been identified on the basis of information collected through intelligence and their names are listed in three categories A,B and C.
While 70 names,including that of senior VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia,are in list A,categories B and C have 300 and 145 names,respectively.
Most of these leaders belong to various districts in UP while a few of them are from other states.
Sources said the SPs of districts concerned have been sent the names of these leaders and have been asked to take them in custody immediately.
The decision to make preventive arrests of VHP leaders is believed to have been taken during the meeting held by Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani this evening.
Besides Principal Secretary (Home) and the DGP,the Lucknow Zone IG,DIG and Commissioner of Faizabad Range and SPs and district magistrates of Faizabad and bordering districts attended the meeting,said sources.
The UP Police have also requested its counterparts in neighbouring states to stop VHP workers from moving towards the state.
They have also asked the DGP Headquarters of Uttarakhand,Bihar,Jharkhand,Madhya Pradesh,Rajasthan,Chhattisgarh,Haryana and Delhi to share intelligence about the movement of VHP leaders and workers.
Inspector General (IG) of Law & Order R K Vishwakarma said the Central government has provided 10 companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) against their demand of 11 companies.
They have allotted three RAF companies to Faizabad police and one each to Barabanki,Basti,Bahraich,Ambedkar Nagar and Gonda on Friday to strengthen security. One company each of RAF has been kept in reserve with DGP Headquarters and Faizabad Range DIG,said Vishwakarma.
Besides,Lucknow Zone IG Subhash Chandra has sent additional police force of three additional SPs,10 deputy SPs,55 inspectors,115 sub-inspectors (S-Is) and 900 constables to be deployed in Faizabad and bordering districts.
