An Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha leader was arrested on Tuesday while allegedly going to recite Hanuman Chalisa at the Shahi Masjid Idgah on the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex
The security has been beefed up in Uttar Pradesh in view of the plans to recite Hanuman Chalisa in the ‘real’ birthplace of Lord Krishna at Mathura’s Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex. Section 144 has been imposed in Mathura and Noida (near Delhi) from December 5 to January 2, prohibiting people to hold processions without permission from the administration. Security arrangements have also been made in Ayodhya in view of the 30th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition.
Mathura police has also barricaded some areas and are checking vehicles in view of the call given by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) to recite Hanuman Chalisa to observe ‘Sanatan Samarpan Diwas’ on Tuesday which happens to be the 30th anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992.
Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shailesh Pandey said, “Neither any permission was sought nor any granted for holding any such event including that for recital of ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at the site proposed by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha on December 6. No such event is to be allowed and those violating restrictions will be seriously dealt with.”
ABHM national treasurer Dinesh Kaushik said that come what may, the recital of ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ will take place at the scheduled time at 12 noon on Tuesday.
HERE ARE LATEST UPDATES:
• An Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha leader was arrested on Tuesday while allegedly going to recite Hanuman Chalisa at the Shahi Masjid Idgah on the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex, officials said. They said seven-eight other leaders of the organisation were also detained in their houses under different police stations of the city.
• Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Martandey Singh said the police arrested the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha’s Agra region in-charge Saurabh Sharma when he was making an attempt to go towards the Idgah mosque on the complex. He said the Mahasabha’s president Rajshri Chaudhary and treasurer Dinesh Sharma were not among those confined at their homes, and that there was no information with the police about the two.
• Kaushik was quoted by IANS as saying, “District presidents of ABHM have assembled in Mathura, but the administration is cancelling bookings at hotels near the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi to harass us.”
• “Non-Resident Indian (NRI) activists of ABHM are being stopped at airports. State spokesperson of ABHM, Sanjay Haryana and leader Neeraj Gautam are being kept under house arrest. Police have reached my house in Mathura,” Dinesh Kaushik said.
• “I will commit suicide at gate of the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi if we are not allowed to recite Hanuman Chalisa as per schedule,” warned Kaushik, who is a petitioner in one of the cases filed in the Mathura courts seeking removal of Shahi Eidgah Mosque.
• On Monday evening, the Mathura SSP stated in a recorded video statement that in view of December 6, the city has been demarcated into sectors, zones and super zones for Tuesday.
• Without giving further details about the number of personnel deployed, IANS quoted him as saying “Sufficient force, including PAC, state police, and traffic police, is to be deployed besides teams from the intelligence department. Prohibitory orders are in effect under section 144 CrPC and magistrates are being deployed for the day to prevent any event without permission.”
• According to reports, nearly 1,500 police, armed constabulary, and paramilitary force personnel were being deployed and traffic restrictions were enforced near Shri Krishna Janmasthan temple and Shahi Masjid Idgah in the temple town. Only school vehicles and ambulances have been given an exemption.
• Over the past 10 days, Mathura police have registered two cases for provocative calls with regard to the December 6 event.
