UP police to take help of community policing post Ayodhya suit

The Uttar Pradesh police is banking on community policing to nip any possible communal flare up post September 24 Allahabad high court verdict on Ayodhya title suit.

"There is no Naxal activity in the state in the past five years due to success of community policing formula. For the first time, we are going to experiment it in the entire state by involving all the sections of the society to maintain law and order after high court verdict on Ayodhya title suit," additional director general law and order Brij Lal told PTI.

During meetings to review security arrangements across the state by principal secretary home, director general of police and the ADG, officials in districts have been asked to bank on peoples' support as police cannot reach "everywhere everytime".

"There are government employees, teachers, retired persons in every area and with their support we can check occurrence of any anti-social activities," the ADG said. 

A communication diary has been prepared in every district having number of credible and responsible persons of the area, who can help police, he said.

The senior officers randomly make a call to these persons and remind them of their duty to help police and maintain communal harmony, he said, adding that the support they were getting was enthusiastic.

The diary also included name of local "dharm gurus" including maulanas and pujaris of temples and village heads to issue appeals to maintain peace and communal brotherhood, the ADG said, claiming that the idea would certainly click.

The civil security committees have also been constituted at all the village and mohalla level for keeping an eye on the situation and alert the force in case of any trouble, he added.

"Besides, we have also prepared a list of suspicious people, including those having criminal background, and put them on scanner. All of them are on our radar," Brij Lal said.