Security has been further tightened in Ayodhya following threat to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s life, received a few hours after three suspicious individuals were detained by Uttar Pradesh Anti-terror Squad (ATS) from Ayodhya on Thursday, ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22.
Uttar Pradesh’s Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that the state ATS detained three suspicious persons during checking in Ayodhya district. Kumar said that the suspects were being interrogated.
“As part of the checking campaign being conducted on the instructions of the state government and police headquarters, three suspicious persons have been detained by UP ATS from Ayodhya district. These suspects are being interrogated,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, a few hours after the arrest of three suspected youths, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, head of the banned terrorist organisation Sikh for Justice (SFJ), made objectionable remarks against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and threatened him with his life late Thursday evening.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu said in a recording sent on mobile that the UP police had arrested two pro-Khalistan youths from Ayodhya and they were being harassed and a false case was being made against them.
The Khalistan supporters have threatened to target Chief Minister Yogi during the Ram Mandir programme.
In the threat given to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, it has been said that “the Ram temple ceremony being held in Ayodhya on January 22 will not be able to save you from SFJ. SFJ will respond to this on 22nd.”
Regarding the threat sent from United Kingdom number +447537131903, Kumar said that the matter had come to the notice of the police and it was being investigated.
He said that security had already been tightened in Ayodhya and other adjoining areas in view of alerts made by the sleuths of the Intelligence Bureau.
The consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya is to be held on January 22 and preparations for this grand ceremony are in their final stages.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also visited Ayodhya on Friday amidst tight security. He was accompanied by Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad and DG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar.
The chief minister took stock of the preparations for the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla and also went to Hanuman Garhi and other temples for darshan.
The ATS has come into high alert mode after the arrest of the three suspects associated with Khalistani terrorists. The ATS commandos tested the security of Ramnagari with a convoy of vehicles. Surveillance has been increased at important places from Naya Ghat to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi. The ATS commandos arrived and took over security arrangements.
More than 10,000 security force personnel have been called from different districts in view of the Pran Pratistha ceremony. They include more than 100 DSPs, 325 inspectors, 800 sub-inspectors, three DIGs for VIP security, 17 SPs, 40 ASPs, 82 DSPs, 90 inspectors to meet other law and order issues. Four companies of RAF, two companies of SSB, one company of ITBP and 26 companies of PAC have also arrived in the city.
Sources said that besides the ground security, the state government had also tightened security in the city by bolstering surveillance through drones. The state government has incorporated technologies such as night vision devices (NVDs) and CCTV cameras to monitor activities across the city. Some of the CCTVs cameras are AI-powered.
The entire district has been divided into red zones, and yellow zones. Traffic advisory has been issued and heavy traffic has been diverted around Ayodhya since January 18. All major roads coming towards Ayodhya have been converted into green corridors to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Multilingual policemen are deployed in plain clothes at the Ram Mandir venue. Security around the river Sarayu has also been increased, and security arrangements have been made with the help of power boats, NDRF and SDRF teams and local boatmen.