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Giriraj Kishore arrested, flag march in Ayodhya
Ayodhya, Oct 15: Tightening the screw ahead of VHP`s October 17 rally here, Uttar Pradesh police today swooped on the saffron leadership detaining its senior leaders, including Acharya Giriraj Kishore, as they headed towards the temple town and laid a siege of VHP offices as paramilitary forces staged flag march.
Ayodhya, Oct 15: Tightening the screw ahead of VHP's October 17 rally here, Uttar Pradesh police today swooped on the saffron leadership detaining its senior leaders, including Acharya Giriraj Kishore, as they headed towards the temple town and laid a siege of VHP offices as paramilitary forces staged flag march.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav warned any move to disturb the status quo at the disputed site violating court orders would trigger anarchy and turmoil across the country
while VHP and RSS cautioned "repression" against Ramsevaks going to Ayodhya was fraught with dangers.
Police detained Kishore and VHP senior vice-president Purshottam Narain Singh, the outfit's incharge of UP and Uttaranchal, along with 1,000 activists in Lucknow foiling a planned rally and a march to Ayodhya. UP Chief Secretary A P Singh said in Lucknow 15,500 VHP activists had been detained in state-wide crackdown so far.
However, VHP held a meeting in Lucknow where Kishore attacked the Centre for covertly assisting the state government in obstructing VHP activists from reaching Ayodhya.
In Ayodhya, police rounded up 400 VHP activists, including its Central Secretary R S Pankaj and D N Mishra at Karsevakpuram in raids conducted on the outfit's offices here.
Security forces surrounded the residence of former BJP MP Ramvilas Vedanti and VHP offices here.
CRPF and Rapid Action Force personnel staged a flag march in some sensitive areas here including Ram Janambhoomi Complex Karsevakpuram and Hanumangarhi.
Security forces laid a siege of Karsevakpuram and Ramsevakpuram localities, considered strongholds of VHP, District Magistrate Deepak Kumar said. Nearly 7,000 security personnel took up position across Faizabad and adjacent Ayodhya to help maintain peace.
More paramilitary forces have reached Faizabad and Ayodhya, Kumar said.
A high-level meeting was held in the city to review the law and order situation. IG Lucknow zone V N Rai is camping here to supervise security arrangements. He took a round of key localities, including Kar Sewakpuram and Ram Sewakpuram where VHP's proposed programme is to be held on Friday.
Educational institutions in Faizabad and adjoining districts of Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar have been closed till October 17, official sources said.
Reports reaching here from Jhansi, Pratapgarh, Basti, San Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Ambedkar Nagar, Sidharthnagar, Gonda and Mathura said thorough screening of trains was being carried out at railway stations and VHP activists belonging to Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka were being detained. The Chief Secretary said the situation in Faizabad and Ayodhya was peaceful amidst unprecedented security measures and a constant vigil being kept at all sensitive places and river routes to prevent VHP activists from sneaking in at night.
Giriraj Kishore claimed over 1.78 lakh VHP activists from outside Uttar Pradesh were on their way to Ayodhya but they were stopped. Over 40,000 VHP workers had been arrested at different parts of the state, he said.
Bureau Report
Police detained Kishore and VHP senior vice-president Purshottam Narain Singh, the outfit's incharge of UP and Uttaranchal, along with 1,000 activists in Lucknow foiling a planned rally and a march to Ayodhya. UP Chief Secretary A P Singh said in Lucknow 15,500 VHP activists had been detained in state-wide crackdown so far.
However, VHP held a meeting in Lucknow where Kishore attacked the Centre for covertly assisting the state government in obstructing VHP activists from reaching Ayodhya.
In Ayodhya, police rounded up 400 VHP activists, including its Central Secretary R S Pankaj and D N Mishra at Karsevakpuram in raids conducted on the outfit's offices here.
Security forces surrounded the residence of former BJP MP Ramvilas Vedanti and VHP offices here.
CRPF and Rapid Action Force personnel staged a flag march in some sensitive areas here including Ram Janambhoomi Complex Karsevakpuram and Hanumangarhi.
Security forces laid a siege of Karsevakpuram and Ramsevakpuram localities, considered strongholds of VHP, District Magistrate Deepak Kumar said. Nearly 7,000 security personnel took up position across Faizabad and adjacent Ayodhya to help maintain peace.
More paramilitary forces have reached Faizabad and Ayodhya, Kumar said.
A high-level meeting was held in the city to review the law and order situation. IG Lucknow zone V N Rai is camping here to supervise security arrangements. He took a round of key localities, including Kar Sewakpuram and Ram Sewakpuram where VHP's proposed programme is to be held on Friday.
Educational institutions in Faizabad and adjoining districts of Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar have been closed till October 17, official sources said.
Reports reaching here from Jhansi, Pratapgarh, Basti, San Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Ambedkar Nagar, Sidharthnagar, Gonda and Mathura said thorough screening of trains was being carried out at railway stations and VHP activists belonging to Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka were being detained. The Chief Secretary said the situation in Faizabad and Ayodhya was peaceful amidst unprecedented security measures and a constant vigil being kept at all sensitive places and river routes to prevent VHP activists from sneaking in at night.
Giriraj Kishore claimed over 1.78 lakh VHP activists from outside Uttar Pradesh were on their way to Ayodhya but they were stopped. Over 40,000 VHP workers had been arrested at different parts of the state, he said.
Bureau Report