In the wake of recent violence in Shimoga, the Hubbali-Dharwad Police Commissionerate has made elaborate security arrangements in Hubballi where ‘Ranga Panchami’ will be celebrated on Monday.
Although no untoward incidents have been reported in the city to be considered ‘communally sensitive’, police officials avoid taking any chances during ‘Ranga Panchami’.
Additional forces have already been deployed at sensitive areasand places of religious importance are heavily guarded. In addition to the surveillance cameras installed at strategic points and traffic junctions in the city, the Police personnel had been asked to keep vigil over activities of miscreants and keep track of suspicious activities.
In all 468 idols of Kamanna (Lord Manmatha) are installed in Hubballi and Dharwad during the Holi festival out of which 151 are installed in Dharwad and the rest in Hubballi.
While the Holi celebrations were over on Friday in Dharwad, the ‘Ranga Panchami’ celebrations will be held in Hubballi on Monday. The Police Commissionerate has deployed 12 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police, two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF), 500 home guards, ten platoons of City Armed Reserve (CAR) Police and 350 police personnel and officials as the celebrations take place in a large scale.
Commissioner of Police has ordered for closure of wine shops, bars and restaurants from Monday 6 a.m. to Tuesday 6 a.m. in view of the Holi celebrations beginning from early hours of Monday, which is a step towards preventing ‘drunken revelry’.
Route diversion
In view of the celebrations, the Police Commissioner has imposed restrictions on vehicular movements in the central business district, because of which the vehicles entering and exiting from the city will have to take alternative routes.
Temporary bus station
The Old KSRTC Bus Station near Kittur Chennamma Circle in the city will remain closed during the Holi festivities and in its place, the open space near the IT Park will function as temporary bus station for the long route and city transport buses.
