A day after Ayodhya verdict, nation calm

A day after the Ayodhya court verdict was pronounced, the nation remained calm today with no untoward incident reported from any part, as tens of thousands of security personnel kept a hawk's  vigil.

Massive security drill in sensitive areas across the country will continue for a few more days to thwart any law and order problem with authorities saying it will not be relaxed for now.

Thousands of potential trouble makers and anti-social elements were also rounded up as a preventive measure in several parts of the country.

Since security was tight, there was no report of any celebration or protests from any part of the country.

Life was normal at the twin cities of Faizabad and Ayodhya--epicentre of the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute--in Uttar Pradesh with people carrying on with their routine chores amid reports there was a spirit of bonhomie among all sections of people.

In Faizabad's alleyways, people were in a jubilant mood, with most saying there was no reason for discord now.

No vehicle is being allowed entry into the temple town without extensive checking as patrolling has picked up, police said.

"Situation is totally normal, but there will be no let up in the security," Senior Superintendent of Police Faizabad RKS Rathore said.

In the capital, Delhi Police kept a tight vigil, especially in the Walled city, to ensure that no untoward incident took place.

All the police stations in the city were on high alert and the security arrangements made for the Commonwealth Games came in handy in preventing any incidents arising out of the verdict on the Ayodhya title suit pronounced by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court yesterday.

Amid a thick security cover with over 2.5 lakh security personnel keeping a strict vigil, the situation in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra was peaceful.

Mumbai, which had witnessed large-scale riots post-Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, also remained calm amidst security personnel armed with guns, lathis and riot control equipment on the streets.

"No untoward incident was reported in the state. It remained absolutely calm. The security arrangements would continue for a couple of days," said KP Raghuvanshi, additional director general of police (Law and Order).

Mumbai Deputy Police Commissioner (Operations) Rajkumar Vhatkar said prohibitory orders in the country's financial capital will continue till October 3.

Nearly 7,000 troublemakers were arrested in Mumbai as a preventive measure, he said.

In Uttar Pradesh, a three-tier security vigil ( land, air and river) continued to be maintained in and around 18 districts that have been identified as "hyper-sensitive" --Lucknow, Faizabad, Gonda, Balrampur, Bahraich, Gorakhpur, Mau, Azamgarh, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Meerut.

The district police have been told to deploy ASP-rank officers along with paramilitary forces in sensitives areas that were worst-hit by the violence after the Babri Masjid demolition.

West Bengal, where the security was intensified, was peaceful with no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the state.

Security was tight in Kolkata where 18 of the 43 police stations areas were declared sensitive with radio flying squads on constant patrol.