Ayodhya, Oct 16: With barely a few hours left for VHP's 'sankalp rally', security forces tonight took up position at strategic points of this temple town as authorities pressed on with the crackdown on the saffron brigade detaining 25,000 people including BJP MP Yogi Adityanath and Dharam Sansad member Swami Ram Kamal Vedanti. Paramilitary personnel and police took up position at all strategic points of the twin cities of Ayodhya and Faizabad and barricades were erected on all routes approaching the limits of Faizabad district.
The entire Faizabad district has been completely sealed off and all the entry points were being heavily guarded, official sources here said. Security personnel have been deployed in strength at Kar Sewakpuram, the venue of the proposed VHP programme, to prevent entry of Ram bhakts there.
Security forces detained 450 Ram bhakts in the temple town alone today, taking the total number of arrests here since Sunday last to about 1500, official sources said. The VHP office at Kar Sewakpuram was devoid of any activities today with almost all its leaders having been either arrested or gone underground.

Paramilitary forces staged a flag march for the second successive day today in the streets of faizabad city to instill confidence among the people.

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Life was normal in Faizabad city but streets of Ayodhya wore a deserted look with shops, business establishments and educational institutions remaining closed. Hundreds of VHP activists were rounded up in neighbouring Gonda , Basti, Ambedkarnagar, Sultanpur and Barabanki districts .

BJP MP from Gonda, Brij Bhushan Saran Singh was taken into custody near Katra across Saryu River while proceeding towards Ayodhya, the sources siad.
Bureau Report