Gurugram: From suspension of internet services to deploying drones for surveillance and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) on the ground, Nuh Police are covering all their bases to ensure comprehensive security measures ahead of the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra Monday. This is being done to avoid a repeat of last year, when communal clashes broke out in parts of South Haryana during the yatra, resulting in six deaths and several injuries.
According to an official circular by the Department of Home Affairs of the Haryana government, internet services have been suspended in Nuh and the adjoining areas starting 6 pm Sunday.
“It has been brought to my notice by ADGP/CID, Haryana, and the Deputy Commissioner, Nuh… that there is an apprehension of causing tension, annoyance, agitation, damage to public and private property, and disturbance of public peace and tranquility in Nuh,” the notice, which ThePrint has accessed, said.
The suspension order, it added, was given “in order to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through various social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc., on mobile phones and SMS for the facilitation of mobs of agitators and demonstrators…”.
Sources within the administration told ThePrint that DJs, loudspeakers, and weapons such as talwars and lathis have been prohibited in the procession and the administration will be monitoring the entire procession with the help of drones.
“We have given permission for the yatra, but we are also taking steps to ensure that the yatra is peaceful. We briefed police and RAF, who will be deployed along the route,” said an official.
Unlike last year, this time the yatra has been organised by a committee composed of members of Khap Panchayat and religious leaders instead of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Prior to the yatra, peace committees were formed and meetings were held with prominent members from Hindu and Muslim communities to ensure peace and tranquility.
“We expect 7,000 to 8,000 devotees for the yatra, which will begin at Kari village in Nuh. The journey will then proceed to Nalhar Temple for the jal abhishek ceremony. Following this, the yatra will continue with visits to two more temples before concluding,” said Yogesh Hilalpur, Nuh resident and one of the organisers of the yatra, to ThePrint.
The police said that they are well equipped this time around and have also been monitoring social media accounts for potential miscreants.
Last week, a lawyer named Tahir Devla was reportedly booked for allegedly posting “objectionable content” on the social media site Facebook about the Brij Mandal Yatra.
Devotees from Haryana and its neighboring districts of Palwal and Gurugram will participate in the day-long procession of the Brij Mandal Yatra. The yatra is scheduled to start at 9 am and will begin with the ritual bathing of a Shiva idol at Nalhar temple. After that, the yatra will visit another Shiva temple in Ferozepur Jhirka on the way before culminating at Radha Krishan temple in Singar village in Punhana.