Ahead of Ayodhya verdict, Section 144 imposed in Ghaziabad, DM appeals for peace

Ahead of politically-sensitive Ayodhya verdict, which is likely to be delivered around November 17, Section 144 has been imposed in Ghaziabad from Friday. Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey met Hindu and Muslim religious leaders on Friday. He appealed for communal harmony and said tab irrespective of the judgment citizens of Ghaziabad should abide by law and not pay heed to any kind of sensational rumours. A decision in the longstanding dispute is expected this month after the Supreme Court concluded the hearing of arguments in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid case in Ayodhya last month. Extra security measures were already in place in Ayodhya in the wake of the expected verdict.

Earlier, Ayodhya, Mathura, Varanasi and other cities in Uttar Pradesh were put on alert after intelligence agencies warned of possible terror attacks in view of the upcoming verdict in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. According to media reports, the whole Uttar Pradesh has been put on alert after these inputs. Security has been beefed up in places of religious importance like Ayodhya, Varanasi and Mathura as well as police station and training centres in the state.

According to top intelligence sources, the terrorists may enter Uttar Pradesh from Nepal or Bangladesh and target public places, trains and buses to maximise loss of lives. Acting on the intelligence inputs, security forces are staying alert to possibility of suicide attacks on important religious landmarks. District administraions all over state have been instructed to keep a close watch on social media or any suspect money windfall.

The situation is already tense in the state after the recent murder of Hindu Samaj Party leader Kamlesh Tiwari last Friday.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh government had cancelled the leave of all police and administrative officers on the field until November 30 and issued directions to district police chiefs to ensure communal harmony. It is being said that security has been strengthened also in view of the Supreme Court's upcoming verdict on Ayodhya land title dispute.

The Supreme Court concluded a 40-day hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit on October 16Â and reserved its verdict on the disputed 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya.