MARGAO: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, met top administrative and police officials in Margao, on Wednesday, to review security preparations on the eve of the verdict on the Ayodhya title suits.
This verdict is to be pronounced by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court tomorrow.
The police have being placed on high alert given the history in South Goa, informed top officials, not willing to come on record given the sensitivity of the situation.
Mr Kamat along with the Collector, South, Mr G P Naik, Director General of Police (DGP), Mr B S Bassi and the Superintendent of Police, South, Mr Allen de Sa met to review the preparations to handle any untoward incidents related to law and order in South.
"An alert has been sounded and the Chief Minister has directed the administration and police to remain vigilant," a senior official said.
Meanwhile, the Collector has extended Section 144 of Indian Penal Code in South Goa till October 4 based on the confidential intelligence report by the police. Section 144 had already been imposed in the state ahead of the verdict.
The towns of Margao, Vasco, Ponda and Curchorem have been provided additional force with police taking all precautions. In addition to these forces both the district superintendents of police have been provided extra forces.
On Tuesday, DGP had told media that special attention was being paid to those areas that had a history of even the slightest communal disharmony, and the state’s security machinery was geared up in view of the verdict on the Ayodhya title suits. The DGP also appealed to all communities not to fall prey to the anti-social elements.
Meanwhile, the deputy collector, law and order, Mr Johnson Fernandes held a meeting with representatives of Samarth Gad, Rumdamol, over their visarjan of their 21-day Ganapati on October 1.
The Ganapati procession normally winds its way from Rumdamol to electricity department, Pandava chapel, market, Kharebandh before the immersion at Tollebandh.
However, the authorities suggested that the procession this time could go via Margao Residency, Loyola school, Railway gate, Kharebandh.
But the committee representatives were not very happy with the suggestion and it was finally decided that a meeting would be held on October 1 to see the situation before a final decision could be taken.
Meanwhile, the peace committees have been asked to be alert and maintain peace at all costs in their jurisdictions, informed the Panaji sub-divisional police officer, Mr Deu Benaulikar, on Wednesday evening.
The SDPO stated that out of 38 members, 36 attended Wednesday’s meeting along with police officers drawn from Agacaim police station, Old Goa police station and from Panaji town.
The committee members from Panaji Jama Masjid, Ram Bhuwan, Chimbel, Taleigao Masjid, St Inez, Kabrastan and other areas and were asked to maintain peace and calm and told not to bring out any victory procession or hold dharna or meeting from 00.00 hours of September 30 to 00.00 hours of October 3, he said, adding 7 minority religious places have been provided with strong police security.
