To ensure a glitch-free Ardh Kumbha Mela, State director-general of police BS Sidhu chaired an inter-State coordination meeting in Haridwar on Saturday. Ardh Kumbh Mela though having kicked off on January 1 would gain steam from January 14, the first of the key snan dates.
In the meeting, senior police officers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, RPF, SSB and ITBP aside from those of Railway participated.
The meeting began with ADGP Ashok Kumar followed by IG Ardh Kumbh-2016 addressing it while making power- point presentation of the roadmap, they have brought into place to ensure peaceful conduct of the religious congregation. They sought cooperation from their counterparts in the neighbouring states to ensure a trouble-free mela. Those who participated in it representing other states addressed it too. The cops from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal and Delhi stressed on internal security and traffic. They also dwelt on how to prevent terror strike by sharing important information of intelligence units, identifying and searching suspicious Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals. They also stressed on direct communication between police stations of bordering states and Ardh Kumbh mela centre, appointment of bonafide Kumbha Mela nodal officer, information exchange between the gazetted officers deployed at Kumbh Mela and bordering police stations. They observed that better coordination and intensive frisking of vehicles coming to Haridwar and strict action against the criminals are a must. Besides, control and monitoring of all kinds of hardcore elements and institutions, joint interrogation of arrested hardcore/terrorists and coordination between the States’ ATS, STF, SOG and lIU, action against the illegal vehicles and arrangements of additional buses during special snan days and ensuring smooth traffic and transit parking were stressed. It was said that in case of necessity, traffic should be stopped for short duration. Hospitals located along the National Highways must be for emergencies, they said. They further said that distribution of pamphlets of Mela administration and exchange of photographs of wanted criminals between the states, fool-proof security arrangement and intensive patrolling to avoid Pathankot like terrorist strike are on their agenda. Besides, discussion was held with UP counterparts about how to maintain PAC and telecommunication till the last of the key snans is held.
SSB commandant Ranjit Singh was asked to conduct intensive checking along the Nepal border during the times of snans and to stop movement of any suspicious or criminal element from across the border. Haryana police counterpart SP CID Rajesh Kali and DySP PHQ, Jogender Sharma were told to ensure uncluttered traffic movement during the mela. Railway Moradabad Division ADRM Sanjeev Mishra, Senior DCM Pushpraj and senior commandant RPF AK Barnwal were asked to increase mobile escorts in train, to conduct intensive checking and deploy additional security forces, to ensure mutual coordination between RPF and GRP, deployment of anti -sabotage and search party in trains, security on railway tracks, installation of public address system and connection of stations CCTVs with the Mela centre.
Railway Moradabad Division ADRM Sanjeev Mishra, Senior DCM Pushpraj and senior commandant RPF AK Barnwal were asked to increase mobile escorts in train, conduct intensive checking and deploy additional security forces, mutual coordination between RPF and GRP, deployment of anti sabotage and search party in trains, security on railway track, installation of public address system, connect stations CCTV with Mela centre and expected passengers arrival to mela centre in advance, arrangement of system to park station before Hardiwar railway station, control on chain pulling, proper display of information on train service on special snan day and avoid change of stations at last moment and make arrangement of railway engine pilot on festive day. Besides it neighbouring states counterparts were told to appeal VIP to avoid visiting Haridwar during Mela. train and pilot a day in advance.
Besides, the cops from the neighbouring states counterparts were asked to appeal to the VIPs to avoid visiting Haridwar during the Mela.
Among others present included ADGP AK Raturi, ADGP Ashok Kumar, IG PAC Amit Sinha, IG Garhwal Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal, ADRM Sanjeev Mishra, SM Bangyal DIG Security, DIG PUshpak Jyoti, SP Railway AM Joshi, Dehradun SSP Sadanand Date, Haridwar SSP Senthil Abudurai Krishnaraj S, DIG UP Omkar Singh, DIG lIU Moradabad Sharad Sachan, Senior DCM Pushpraj, SSP Saharanpur RPS Yadav, ITBP Commandant AK Singh andRPF senior commandant AK Baranwal, ITBP.
later, principal secretary Home Umakant Panwar reviewed the outcome of the meeting with Uttarakhand police, mela administration and para military forces. During the interaction, Panwar sought department -wise preparation and suggestion on how to control crowd amicably.