Kalash Yatra, Bakrid, culmination of Kanwar Yatra: Cops gear up for ‘challenges’

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) on Sunday said they were ready for the “challenge” and that the week would be peaceful. Earlier on Saturday, CM Yogi Adityanath spoke with the District Magistrates (DM) and police heads of all districts through video conferencing to give instructions on the law and order situation on Bakrid. A list of “sensitive” districts have also been made.

“We have always taken these things as challenges. Be that the festival of Barkrid or the Kanwar Mela and the Kalash Yatra for the former PM, we are determined and prepared for the challenges. I believe that the instructions given by the CM on the state level and to be police officials from my level are very detailed and we would be able to beat these challenges successfully,” said DGP Om Prakash Singh while talking to the media.

On the meeting by CM Adityanath in this regard, he said, “There was a clear cut instruction by the CM that Bakrid is an important festival that we are going to observe on August 22 and there should be as much arrangement as possible… not just the security management but of cleanliness and electricity also.”

“In last five years there were instances of clashes which made the situation during the festival sensitive. We have to look at those cases and ensure that there is no controversy that can create problems in the celebration of the festival. All the DMs and SSPs have been directed to visit the places, where sacrifices will take place. Along with that we have to ensure that there is no rumour on the occasion and our social media (team) has to be active for that. Our officers should be on patrol, have peace committee meetings and talk to the people of both the communities,” DGP said.

He added that they have made a list of some sensitive districts like Bareilly, Moradabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Hapur and Amroha and the officials in these these districts have been directed to be extra vigilant.

Varanasi SSP Sureshrao A Kulkarni said that though the main pilgrimage of Kanwariyas would end on Monday, the movement of Kanwarias would be till Rakshabandhan, which is on August 26. SSP added that they have issued instruction to all the police stations in the district and leaves of all police officers have been canceled keeping in mind the yatras and the festivals.

Earlier on Sunday, Principal Secretary (information) Awanish Awasthi informed that there total 20 Kalash containing the ashes of Vajpayee would arrive in Lucknow, and the Kalash Yatra would start from Lucknow on August 21. Earlier the Yatra was proposed to start on Monday but was postponed.

\No official reason has been cited for postpone of the Yatra from August 20 to August 21.