Ayodhya to be fortified ahead of SC verdict, 153 companies of central forces to be deployed in the city

Ayodhya: As many as 153 companies of central forces will be deployed in Ayodhya district including central police force, state Armed Police Forces, CRPF's Rapid Action Force, and Uttar Pradesh Police, as the Supreme Court reserved its verdict in the Ranjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case and will announce its judgment within the next 23 days.

According to Zee Media sources, the said companies have already started arriving in Ayodhya in large numbers and several Traffic Police personnel will also be deployed to divert the traffic to the neighbouring districts. Further, big vehicles plying on the national highway might be stopped from entering the city on the day of the verdict,

Secret intelligence agencies, and UP ATS commandos will be stationed in Ayodhya district. Drone surveillance will be used to ensure the law and order situation in the district. Temporary jails have been constructed at pivotal points in the district to apprehend and tackle any crowd that might march towards the site of the disputed land after the verdict. 

The state police have appealed to all the people visiting Ayodhya to carry their valid identity cards at all times and people staying in guest houses and hotels will be checked by the police. The security detail will be implemented in three phases across Ayodhya. The first phase has been implemented from October 15, the second phase will be enforced from November 1, and the third phase, which will be the most rigorous will be implemented a few days before the SC gives its judgement. Superintendent of Police, Shailendra Singh has been made the nodal officer to look after the security for the decision on the Ayodhya dispute. 

The district has been divided into four zones-- in the red zone, the area around Ramjanambhoomi will come, where the security system will be the most vigilant, and no one will be allowed to go anywhere near thi area. In the yellow zone, the entire Ayodhya campus is kept in this zone, all the temples, Dharamsala, hotels, ghats, houses in Ayodhya come in this zone, there will be many levels of security here too.

In the blue zone, the outskirts of Ayodhya have been kept, in which the old Faizabad city comes. Security has also been deployed at many levels here. At many places, back coding and security checkpoints have been created. In the green zone, all the districts adjoining Ayodhya are placed in this category, Ambedkaranagar, Barabanki, Basti, Gonda, Sultanpur, which are adjacent to Ayodhya. All policemen have been kept on alert here. All vehicles will be thoroughly investigated, if the crowds from these districts go towards Ayodhya, then they will be stopped.

The police officials have appealed to all people not to believe in any rumors that might float around the verdict date. 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict in Ayodhya case after hearing arguments from all the concerned parties. October 16 was the 40th day of hearing in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case (Ayodhya case). The apex court has directed the concerned parties to submit written submissions in three days. The lawyer of Hindu Mahasabha, Varun Sinha, said that the SC has reserved the order and has made it clear that the decision will come within 23 days.

Before the conclusion of the hearing, the counsel for Sunni Waqf Board advocate Rajeev Dhavan reiterated the demand to restore the mosque saying, "The right to reconstruct the building belongs to us. The bricks are still there...The place still belongs to Waqf."

The case is being heard by a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi. He had earlier set the deadline to finish arguments on October 18, which the bench later rescheduled to October 17. It is expected that the judgment, in this case, would be passed before the retirement of CJI Gogoi. It may be recalled that CJI Gogoi is set to retire on November 17.