Gujarat police on high alert ahead of Ayodhya verdict

With the controversial Ayodhya verdict now scheduled for Thursday, the city police are once again on their toes. As many as 1.5 lakh police personnel of different departments will fortify the state, their focus being all sensitive areas of the state in general and those of the city in particular.

As many as 10,000 SRP jawans, 400 RAF jawans, 40,000 trainee cops, 40,000 home guards and around 80,000 local cops, along with PCR vans, QRTs and almost all departments of the state police, will be on the 'stand to', to tackle any possible untoward incidents in the state in connection with the verdict.

City police sources said that 100% of the police staff will be used to prevent communal tension. The city police have commenced patrolling and have also begun checking hotels, in a bid to keep a tab on those visiting the city. The city police commissioner has asked police stations to keep a tab on incidents of petty crime and internal clashes, to ensure that no petty incident snowballs into a communal conflict. A series of meetings has taken place between senior and junior police officials, vis-à-vis the judgment.

DGP for Gujarat state, SS Khandwawala, told DNA that apart from regular checking, meetings of members of the majority and minority communities have been conducted across the state.
Almost all hotels have been checked by the local police. The police are also keeping vigil on those visiting the areas. The security checks at railway stations, ST stands and other entry points in the city have been intensified.