With the ‘Virat Hindu Samavesh’ and a convention of Muslims scheduled to take place on Sunday, Hubballi city is all set to turn into a fortress.
Already hundreds of police personnel from various districts have arrived in Hubballi ahead of the conventions for bandobast, in addition to the personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) from the Centre.
While Yogi Adityanath from Uttar Pradesh will address the ‘Virat Hindu Samavesh’ of Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag districts to be held at Nehru Stadium, Muslim religious heads from Uttar Pradesh Abul Hasan Sayed Mohammed Ashraf, Sayed Mehmood Ashraf Ashrafi-Al-Jeelani and Sayed Mehmood Ashraf Ashrafi-Al-Jeelani would be speaking at the ‘Khadijat-Ul-Kubra Conference’ being held at Asar Mohalla in Old Hubballi. While the Hindu convention is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. preceded by a procession, the Muslim convention is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
According to Police Commissioner Ravindra Prasad, the organisers of both conventions have been given permission. The organisers have even given an undertaking that states that they will be held responsible in case of any law and order problem.
While there will be two companies of RAF for the bandobast, in all over 3,000 police personnel are being deployed in the city. In addition to the police patrol and vigilance, 150 surveillance cameras, two vehicle mounted cameras and 60 traffic jeeps have been deployed for the bandobast. Eight SP grade officials including the RAF commandant, 14 ACPs, 35 inspectors, 55 sub inspectors, 200 assistant sub inspectors, 1,500 constables, twelve platoons of KSRP, ten platoons of CAR (City Armed Reserve Police) and 500 home guards will be on duty on Sunday.
Flag march
On Sunday, the police conducted a survey of the procession route beginning from Moorusavir Mutt in the morning and it was followed by a flag march of the entire police posse in the evening. The police have imposed restrictions on vehicular movement on some roads and vehicles would be diverted through alternative routes.