New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Security arrangements in various parts of the country has been beefed up for the Bakrid festival. While maintaining that police forces have been kept on high alert, they said that Muslims will not be allowed to offer namaz on roads. The police also underlined that slaughtering of banned animals will invite strict action.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Prayagraj Commissionerate), Manish Kumar Shandilya said: “There are around 400 mosques and Eidgahs in the city zone of the Prayagraj Commissionerate where prayers will be offered. Peace Committee meetings have already been conducted at all police station levels as well as at the central level.”

“Appeals have been made to everyone that prayers should not be offered on roads. Apart from this, banned animals should not be sacrificed, and proper disposal should be ensured after the sacrifice process,” he told IANS.

He said that police personnel have been posted at all mosques and Eidgahs and social media is also being strictly monitored.

“Videography, photography and drones are being used for surveillance,” he added.

Ghazipur District Magistrate Anupam Shukla said that all necessary preparations have been completed.

“Peace committee meetings have been held at various levels—village level, tehsil level, and district level. Especially, in sensitive areas, route marches have been conducted by administrative and police officers,” he added.

Police Inspector Gopal Pawar, in Maharashtra’s Daund, told IANS that proper arrangements have been made, including 24-hour nakabandi at two locations to ensure that no illegal cow slaughter takes place during Bakrid.

“We have also met Muslim leaders and explained them about the law regarding this,” he said.

In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, Senior Railway Superintendent of Police Veena Kumari said that efforts are being made for the safety of railway passengers as well.

“The situation is vulnerable in a couple of places. For example, in Muzaffarpur, there is a mosque located between two railway tracks. That area has been kept on alert. In Darbhanga and Thawe, people cross railway tracks to reach the mosques. We are keeping vigil there as well,” she told IANS.

Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar said elaborate security arrangements have been made across the twin cities ahead of Bakrid celebrations.

He added that additional police personnel from outside the districts, including Karnataka State Reserve Police and Home Guards, have been deployed.

Moreover, he mentioned that several security check posts have been put up, at the rate of one check post per police station.

“So far, we have registered three separate cases of illegal cattle transportation,” he told reporters.

–IANS

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