UP police sounds alert on Janamasthami

Lucknow, Aug 22 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government has sounded a high alert particularly in Mathura and Vrindavan for the Janamasthami festival and directed the police to maintain strict vigil at all the religious places of the state.

The Centre has also rushed eight companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) in the state to assist the police to ensure security at the sensitive areas.

State additional Director general of police ( law and order ) Brij Lal here today said one company of RAF and 4 companies of PAC have been deployed IN Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

Besides, a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) has been kept on stand-by in Mathura and Ayodhya, he said adding close circuit televisions (CCTV) have also been installed at all the important temples of Mathura and Vrindavan.

The security arrangements for the auspicious occasion were decided in a video conference between the DGP and the district police yesterday, Mr Lal said.

''Of the eight companies of RAF, one company has been deployed each at Mathura, Aligarh, Meerut, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Varanasi, Allahabad and Kanpur'' he informed.

He said as Janamasthami is also celebrated at several police stations and police lines of the state, a strict directive has been issued for not holding any vulgar or obscene programme on the occasion, besides barring money collection from the public for organising the functions.

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