In the wake of the Supreme Court pronouncing its verdict on the Ayodhya case on Saturday, Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao on Friday said prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Cr.PC would be imposed in the city from 7 a.m to midnight on Saturday and liquor sale will be banned from 7 a.m. on Saturday to midnight of Sunday.
Mr. Rao told reporters that elaborate arrangements had been made in the city to safeguard public order and peace. He said 50 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police, 8,000 police personnel, one platoon of the Central Reserve Police Force, 1,200 Home Guards, and 250 civil defence personnel would be deployed in the city.
“The police will not allow any celebratory march or protest after court judgment. We will take strict action against those who defy the rules. Jurisdictional deputy commissioners and higher officials will monitor the security arrangements in the city,” he said.
Mr. Rao said the police would keep tabs on postings on social media. “We appeal to the people to use social media sensibly and refrain from posting or forwarding offensive, misleading, and instigating posts,” he said.
Mandya Deputy Commissioner M.V. Venkatesh has clamped prohibitory order across the district. He also declared a ban on sale of liquor on Saturday and Sunday.
Exams postponed
The government has declared a holiday for all schools and colleges across the State on Saturday. Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar announced this decision late on Friday.
Examinations of several universities scheduled for Saturday have been postponed.
