The police in western Uttar Pradesh police are keeping a strict vigil in over 20 districts, ahead of the sentencing of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case on Monday.
Saharanpur, Baghpat, Shamli and Muzaffarnagar share borders with Haryana and have a considerable number of Dera members because of which the State administration does not want to take any chances.
The border districts have sealed their roads connecting Haryana. Extra police forces and Provincial Armed Constabulary units have been deployed. Ban orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been imposed in several districts of Meerut, Agra and Bareilly.
Schools closed
All schools in Meerut, Saharanpur, Shamli and Baghpat were shut on Saturday as a precautionary measure and they will remain closed on Monday.
Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Anand Kumar on Sunday reviewed the precautionary steps. Though trains connecting Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were cancelled, there was a possibility of the supporters entering the State by road.
Mr. Kumar directed railway, road transport and police officials to work in coordination. Intelligence units have been asked to pass on information about every move of the Dera followers. He asked officials to ensure that police forces were present with anti-rioting vehicles at places such as bus depots, railway stations, malls, district offices, government buildings and courts.
He told The Hindu that ban orders had been imposed in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Hapur and Baghpat in Meerut zone, Bareilly, Badayun, Shahjahanpur, Bijnor, Moradabad and Rampur in Bareilly zone and Agra, Mathura, Eta, Mainpuri, Kasganj and Firozabad in Agra zone.
The leave granted to police personnel has been cancelled and they have been asked to report for duty. Moreover, police presence has been increased in and around the 15 ashram-cum-centres of the quasi-religious sect in western UP.