For the upcoming Holi festival, the Yogi Adityanath government has agreed to deploy the Rapid Action Force (RAF) in at least 20 districts across Uttar Pradesh that have been classified as “hypersensitive.”
Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Bahraich, Balrampur, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Ayodhya, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Kanpur Nagar, Lucknow, Mau, Meerut, Moradabad, Shravasti, Varanasi, and Sambhal are among the hyper-sensitive districts.
“The step is to ensure that Holi is celebrated in a peaceful manner,” said ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar. On the eve of the festival, there are 1.4 lakh spots for the ‘Holika Dahan throughout the province. Around this time last year, 19 minor injuries were reported.”
According to the cop, there has been a significant decline in such accidents since 2016. However, the state is taking preventive measures to avoid any such misconduct on the streets as well as in the residential areas.
Women’s safety is a big concern in Uttar Pradesh anyway, but during festivals like Holi cases of eve-teasing and harassment are on the surge. Deploying RAF will also make women comfortable in this season of festivities, where some brats or goons consider festivals as a license to behave like barbarians, this step will also help to bring them to their limits and abid to behave lawfully.
ADG noted that steps have been taken to prevent any festival-related accidents.
“These include drone surveillance, RAF launch, and splitting districts into hypersensitive and vulnerable categories,” according to the ADG.
Companies of the PAC have been mobilized in these areas, along with police forces and the fire service.
“Police chiefs in both of these districts have been asked to ensure vigilance, and any who have been accused of past cases will be monitored,” the ADG added.
He also stated that the police chief would prioritize ongoing investigations in those circumstances and that the investigation must be concluded.
District police chiefs have been asked to show vigilance when it comes to the numerous processions that take place during the Holi celebrations.
