Sambhal ASP Shreesh Chandra told the media, "All 10 religious places that fall on the traditional route taken by the Holi procession will be covered so that no sentiments are hurt. There have been talks and agreement between the two sides on this."
The Sambhal Police has planned to cover 10 religious places including the Shahi Jama Masjid with tarpaulin sheets ahead of the Holi festival as they fall on the traditional route of Holi procession to make sure that 'no sentiments are hurt'. Mosques in Shahjahanpur will also be covered with tarpaulins ahead of the 'Laat Saheb' Holi celebration on March 14.
Sambhal ASP Shreesh Chandra told the media, "All 10 religious places that fall on the traditional route taken by the Holi procession will be covered so that no sentiments are hurt. There have been talks and agreement between the two sides on this."
The district administration in Shahjahanpur is also taking extra precautions this year to ensure safety.
Friday prayers in all mosques across Ayodhya will be offered after 2 p.m. in view of the Holi celebrations this week, a prominent cleric of the city said.
The ongoing Holi-Friday Namaz row was triggered again by the comments made by mayor of Bihar's Darbhanga who suggested a two-hour break during Holi celebrations on March 14 which is a Friday and is coinciding with Jumma prayers in the holy month of Ramzan. Ara's comments drew sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Bihar, including MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul who called her proposal ' terrorist mindset'. Bachaul has earlier asked Muslims to stay indoor on Holi.
Sambhal SDM Dr. Vandna Mishra has spoken to the media on the ongoing tension over overlapping of religious celebrations in India on March 14 and she asserted that the administration will make sure the Holi goes peacefully.
Mishra told ANI, "We have detained 1015 people under Section 126 and Section 135. Lekhpals have been put on duty at different masjids in Sambhal. The district has been divided into sectors. We are fully prepared for Holi and will make sure it goes peacefully."
Peace committee meeting took place on March 6 at the Sambhal Kotwali police station and the authorities have also deployed police officials and the magistrates in the six zones of the city.
Sambhal DM Rajendra Pensia explained the details of the Holi arrangements in the district, "The procession of fairs will be taken out tomorrow. The total number of fairs is 16. We held peace committee meetings in every locality and village and two committee meetings at the district level. We have formed 27 quick response teams. We have created a total of six zones and 29 sectors and deployed magistrates and police officers in each one... SHOs of every police station and all magistrates have been asked to patrol the hotspots. PAC battalions have been deployed for three-tier security as before... 250 CCTV cameras have been installed, and with the help of the municipality, 100-150 additional CCTVs are installed during every festival. Surveillance has been done with drones once and will be done once more. A flag march was conducted under the leadership of the DIG..."
Rangbhari Ekadashi which is beginning of the Holi celebrations were held on Monday in Sambhal amid tight security. Rangbhari Ekadashi is observed five days before the main festival of Holi.
Meanwhile, on March 6, a peace committee meeting was held at the Sambhal Kotwali police station in view of the upcoming Holi festival on Friday.
Shahjahanpur also witnesses an unique procession on the day of Holi which is called 'Laat Sahab'. In this 300-year-old tradition, a person is chosen as 'Laat Sahab' and placed on a buffalo cart while people throw colors, shoes, and slippers at him.
SP Rajesh S told ANI, "We started the peace committee meeting a month ago and demanded the required number of security forces. In total, around 3500 security forces will be deployed. All mosques on both sides of Laat Sahib have been covered. We are keeping an eye through drones and CCTVs. All preparations have been made."
"After the Holika Dahan in Shahjahanpur, a procession takes place on the Holi. Seventeen Procession will be leaving includes two important ones that are Bade Laat Sahab and Chhote Laat Sahab processions, which are unique and different from traditional Holi celebrations. This is a celebration unlike any other in the country," Rajesh S added.
Further, he spoke about the security preparation, "We began preparations a month ago by holding Peace Committee meetings at checkpoint, station, and district levels. We have also requested all the necessary forces, which have now been deployed from various districts. Two companies, one from the paramilitary forces, which is PC and the other one is RF forces, are arriving. We've already conducted a route march for this. With the forces coming from outside and our local forces, we have a total of around 3,000 to 3,500 personnel for security. Additionally, all the mosques along the route of the Laat Sahab procession have been covered for security reasons."
Municipal Commissioner Vipin Kumar Mishra said, "We have installed around 350 CCTV and still cameras along the procession route. Additionally, about 20 mosques on the route have been covered with tarpaulin so that these are not stained by colours."
Barricades have also been placed near mosques and electrical transformers for safety, he said.
"Two tractor trolleys will accompany the procession to collect the discarded shoes, torn clothes and other debris. A sky lift will also be part of the procession and cameras will be positioned at 16 police picket points for video recording and it will be monitored live."
A large police force has also been deployed in the area to maintain security, as per reports.