Security upped, vigilance intensified for PM Modi’s Ayodhya visit
Over 5,500 police officers deployed in Ayodhya for PM Modi's visit. Traffic diversions in place, additional security forces added.
Over 5,500 police officers and personnel have been deployed in Ayodhya for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit on Saturday.
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This force is in addition to the Special Protection Group (SPG) which provides security cover to the PM, and National Security Guard (NSG) unit to counter terror attacks, said senior police officials here on Friday.
Also, extra force has been added to UP Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) for the PM’s event at the Ayodhya Dham railway station, they said.
The officials said necessary traffic diversions have been made in Ayodhya and its adjoining districts following the PM’s visit. They said the diversion on highways heading towards Ayodhya will be made effective from 1am on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday and will remain in force for around 14 hours till around 3pm on Saturday.
A senior police official said the PM will stay for over three hours in Ayodhya after which the traffic restrictions will be relaxed.
“As many as three deputy inspector general rank officers and 17 superintendent of police (SP) rank officers have been deployed to supervise and manage the security arrangements. Also, 38 additional SPs have been deployed to assist them. A total of 82 deputy SPs and 90 inspector rank officials along with 358 sub-inspectors (SI), including 33 women SIs and 2,000 constables, will be deployed strategically at different points on the route on which the PM’s motorcade will move in Ayodhya. Additionally, 14 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and six companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPC) will remain deployed,” the official shared, and added, “Besides, 450 traffic police personnel will be deployed to manage traffic diversions.”
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The official said separate teams of UP Anti-Terror Squad along with bomb disposal squads and dog squads as well as UP Special Task Force will be deployed for the event. Moreover, over 200 sleuths of intelligence bureau and state intelligence unit will be deployed in civvies to keep monitoring and evaluating every activity in Ayodhya during the PM’s visit.