Garhwal Range IG/DIG Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal directed the range police officers to beef up security with the deployment of additional forces around religious shrines and other important places in view of ‘Holika Dahan’ on March 5 and Holi festival on March 6. Additional policemen should be deployed in localities with mixed population and places where 'Holika Dahan' would be held on Thursday night to prevent anti-social elements from disrupting festivities, he added.
He said that the police officers have been directed to put policemen on patrol duty at sensitive and mixed population areas for the next two days to monitor activities of people and suspected anti-social elements. He also added that intelligence officials should also be deployed in plainclothes to keep a tab on divisive and disruptive forces in their districts.
Gunjyal said that the police officers have been directed to deploy adequate police personnel at the places where Holika would be torched on March 5 evening. With the increasing cases of illegal trafficking of drugs and liquors occurring in the state, the police officers have been directed to conduct vehicle checking drivers to check it in their district apart from ensuring action against the defaulters, he said. Additional forces would be deployed too at the important crossings, he added.
As during the Holi festival people smear colour or throw colour among themselves possibilities of scuffles are high, particularly against the backdrop of the fact that some persons tend to take laws in their hands under the influence of liquors or drugs. Moreover, the chances of road accidents also increase because of the menace of drunk driving. Scuffles occur as some people pick woods from others’ homes without taking their permission to be used in the Holika bonfire.
Some hurl abuses or sing obscene songs as part of Holi revelry. Tempers fray as some tend to pour colour on walls of religious places, throw mud on others and extort money in the name of Holi festival. The district police officers have been directed to convene a meeting with their subordinates to ensure peaceful Holi celebrations. They should also convene meetings with local social workers or members of several social organisations and their suggestion should be implemented.