Security has been stepped up in Dehradun as elsewhere in the State with two days left for the Holi festival. However, the festivity would start a day before as Holika Dahan would be held on  the night of March 1  followed by Holi festival to be celebrated on March 2. State additional director general of police (law and order) Ashok Kumar said on Tuesday that the district police chiefs have been directed to deploy additional forces at sensitive and mixed population areas to ensure peaceful celebration of the festival in the state. “We are extra alert about places marked as sensitive from the law and order standpoint and necessary action is being taken to ensure peace,” he added.

Garhwal Range DIG Pushpak Jyoti said that they are on their toes to stop road accidents during the festival. “As per our experiences, accidents happen on these two days as the people behind the wheels are often drunk.

The Range police officers based in the districts have been directed to deal sternly with cases of drunk driving,” he added. 

 Dehradun SSP Nivedita Kukreti said that they are also vigilant as scuffles occur during this time over those reluctant being smeared with colour. “We must be on our guard as the people act irresponsibly under the influence of alcohol and narcotics,” she said.

Besides, security has been stepped up with the deployment of additional forces around religious shrines and other important places in view of ‘Holika Dahan’ on March 1 and Holi festival on March 2, she said. Several mobile teams comprising sub-inspectors and policemen have been formed at sector and zone levels.  

Moreover, several areas of the district have been divided into zones and a zone has been divided into sectors. Circle officers have been made in-charges of the zones while inspectors of police stations have been made in-charges at the sectors.

 The State police top brass has asked the department to clamp down on drug peddling activities which intensify around the time of the festival.