The 25th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid passed off peacefully  in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.  No untoward incident was reported from any where in the state.  Heavy police force had been deployed in all the sensitive places in the state with stern directives given by the Uttar Pradesh government to prevent incidents of communal violence.

Directives for maintaining peace and harmony to all the SSPs and SPs  had also been issued by the UP police chief Sulkhan Singh.

Security was exceptionally tight in Ayodhya, which was divided into four sectors, and the neighbouring Faizabad town. Twenty seven additional companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC)  had been deployed in the state with Faizabad and Lucknow getting the maximum deployment of  six additional companies each.

It was on December 6, 1992 that the Mughal era Babri mosque located in Ayodhya was demolished by ‘kar sevaks’.

To prevent any untoward incident on Babri demolition anniversary by terrorist organizations, security was tightened in shopping malls, multiplexes, cinema halls and other public places in the state. Surprise inspections were carried out by the police  in hotels and rest houses  Ayodhya and Faizabad last night.

While section 144 was promulgated in mostly all the sensitive districts, including Faizabad, the advisory sent to the district police chiefs by the UP DGP asked them to ensure the availability of  officials of different departments in the districts from  December 5 to December 7. The government  departments  covered in the advisory were health, power, revenue, excise, transport and Home Guard. The sector and zone  scheme was introduced in the cities with each sector and zone under the supervision of sector, or zonal  magistrate.

While all the liquor and crackers shops were closed on Wednesday, it was made obligatory on the law enforcing agencies that the measures taken by the administration and the police were visible to the people. An important aspect for maintaining peace was the role of the peace committees in different towns and cities. The peace committees have played a crucial role on ensuring that there was no infringement peace and harmony.