Ahmedabad: Police here are on high alert and have taken extensive security measures following intelligence reports stating that terrorist may target the city on December 6, which marks the 17th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition.
"We have intelligence inputs that there is threat of terrorist attack in the city on December 6. As a precautionary measure, we have extensively beefed up security in the city and our forces will be on alert," Joint Commissioner of police Satish K Sharma said.
"It is a very sensitive day, as Babri masjid was demolished in Ayodhya on this day in 1992 and we have to be cautious to see that there is no untoward incident or communal tension. Patrolling in sensitive areas has also been increased," Sharma added.
Police has also cancelled permission to take out two rallies on December 6 following the security threat, Sharma informed.
Prabbudh Nagrik Shakti Manch floated by former Chief Ministers Shankarsinh Vaghela and Suresh Mehta and Gujarat State Employees Coordination Committee had taken permission to take out rallies to highlight issues of government employees on that day in the city.
"Rallies have been cancelled, as they could be easy targets for terrorists. These rallies were to pass through communally sensitive areas like Karanj," Sharma said.
He informed that the entire police force of Ahmedabad city would be present on duty on December 6, while additional police personnel has been called from other places.
"We have also asked for six SP level officers from other districts, a dozen deputy SPs and 25 Police Inspectors. Three companies of State Reserve Police (SRP) including one company of women SRP would be deployed across the sensitive parts of the city," Sharma said, adding that 500 policemen from other districts are also being brought in.
Gujarat State Employees Coordination Committee (GSECC) had proposed the rally after their talks on implementation of sixth pay commission failed with the state government.
Sharma said that since both these rallies were on the same day and were going to end in public meeting they would have required adequate security. "We did not want to divert our resources on this day and decided to cancel the rallies," he added.
- PTI
