Tight security cover for Mahashivratri

Varanasi, Mar 3 (UNI) Security arrangements in the highly sensitive Vishswanath-Gyanvapi temple here have been made ahead of Mahashivratri on March 5.

According to Superintendent of Police (city) Rajiv Malhotra today '' Four Additional SPs, ten Deputy SPs, 131 Sub-Inspectors, 65 Head Constables, 586 constables, two women Sub-Inspectors, one woman Head Constable, 35 women constables and ten companies of Paramilitary Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) would be deployed in the areas between Maidagin-Godowlia.'' Apart from this, some platoons of the PAC and the RAF would camp in chowk police station as a reserve force. The cops would be deployed in equal shifts of eight hours from tomorrow night.

He said the security arrangements would be effective from tomorrow night and continue till March 7. In this duration no vehicular movement would be allowed between Maidagin and Godowlia crossing.

Even VIPs would have to leave their vehciles at Maidagin, from where the police will arrange vehicles to carry them to the temple, the SP informed.

Besides this, heavy police force would escort '' Shiv Barats'', carried out to mark the celebrations of the festival.

UNI JL JAS GT AS1838