Police on Friday registered an FIR against VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, S C Dixit and 40 others for breach of security cordon two days ago when they entered the sanctum sanctorum of the make shift Rama Temple in Ayodhya. The FIR was filed under Section 186 of the Indian Penal Code for violation of security cordon, police sources said. Under a court order of 1993, devotees are barred from getting nearer than 15 metres of the sanctum sanctorum and an SLP filed subsequently to reduce the isolation zone to 7.5 metres was turned down by the court. Meanwhile, Paramhans Ramchander Das of Ayodhya ‘Ram Janam Bhumi’ trust has criticised the VHP leaders for precipitating a crisis by defying the court order. A controversy has also arisen with VHP sources claiming that security personnel opened the lock and allowed them in.
The Uttar Pradesh government has already ordered an inquiry by Additional Director General (Intelligence) into possible laxity after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee himself expressed concern over the issue and said in Chennai on Thursday that security needed to be tightened.
Bureau Report