Anticipating unrest during the huge congregation of the Sikh community in Haridwar for Kartik Purnima Snan on Saturday, the district administration and police have made elaborate security arrangements across the district.
Notably, a section of the Sikh community people have been on the agitation path, demanding rebuilding of the revered 459- year- old Gyan Godri Gurudwara-the original one based in Har Ki Paidi, hallowed with the memory of the founder of the sect Guru Nanak, was demolished in 1984. A meeting was held at traffic police line in Kamal Das Kutiya on Friday morning with the senior superintendent of police in the chair during which security preparedness was discussed.
After the meeting was over, SSP Krishna Kumar VK said, “Since lakh of people would converge at Har Ki Paidi on Kartik Purnima Snan, we have spruced up security in the city. Intense checking drive has been started from Friday evening at public places like bus stands and railway station.”
Quizzed over the possibility of unrest on the Gurudwara issue flaring up during the religious congregation, he said, “It is a challenge to identify those coming to agitate on the sensitive matter from among thousands of common pilgrims. A perfect coordination is thus needed for which we have instructed our personnel to be on their guard. The whole mela area has been divided into eight zones and 32 sectors and from 4 pm on Tuesday, the cops would take their positions. Any of personnel leaving his point of duty must hand over the task to another before leaving. Besides, we are giving special attention to the elderly pilgrims. ”
The District Magistrate Deepak Rawat said that the local intelligence units at Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples are alert. “From the crowd management point of view, monitoring of closed circuit cameras at the sensitive points like bus stand, railway station and ashrams would be done by some special personnel.”
SSP further said that barricades would be set up around the under- construction bridges at Har Ki Paidi to avoid any mishap. Over 2000 cops have been asked to be in position from different branches of police for the smooth conduct of the fair, added SSP.