Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday directed further strengthening of security in court premises to avert any untoward incident.

He also asked officials to call meetings of the bar associations under the leadership of district judges to chalk out a security plan and to take necessary measures for its strict compliance. 

The chief minister also asked officials to take necessary action for declaring subordinate courts as firearm-free zones under Rule 46 of the Arms Rule, 2016 after holding talks and coordinating with district judges. 

Similarly, a meeting should be held with the registrar general for better security arrangements in the High Court in Prayagraj and its Lucknow bench, he said.

Giving this information here on Thursday, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad said that he along with Director General of Police Vijay Kumar interacted with all senior administrative and police officers through video conferencing and instructed them to take all measures as per the direction issued by the chief minister. 

He asked the officers to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in any court premises in future.

He said that SOP (special operation procedure) had been prepared by the state government for the security of district courts. In the district courts of the state, 71 security in-charge inspectors/sub-inspectors, 22 inspectors, 240 sub-inspectors, 522 head constables and 1,772 constables are appointed. Apart from this, QRT (Quick Response Team) has also been deployed in which 60 sub-inspectors, 112 head constables and 256 constables are appointed.

Prasad has given instructions that the functionality of the equipment installed for security in the court premises must be checked regularly. He said that if any equipment was found defective after checking, it should be rectified/changed immediately.

He also directed that arrangements be made for regular checking of litigants, lawyers and visitors by holding a meeting with the members of the bar for better security so that no suspicious person enters the court premises at all.

He also directed that in district courts where CCTV cameras are not installed in the court premises, CCTV cameras should be installed on priority basis in the court premises besides courtrooms.

He also issued a directive that along with regular checking of equipment, trained personnel be deployed for better use of the equipment installed in the court premises.

DGP Vijay Kumar said that keeping in view festivals like Shrawan Mela, Jagannath Rath Yatra, Morharam, Bakrid etc., meetings with the peace committees constituted at the local level must be held well in time to ensure necessary arrangements.

He said that neither permission should be given for sacrifice in public places nor any kind of animal should be sacrificed apart from the laid tradition.

Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that all necessary measures had been taken in Wednesday’s incident and they would ensure severe punishment for all those involved in the killing.