Farmers Movement Archive

Republic Day at Gandhi Maidan amid tight security, Covid curbs

PATNA: Security has been beefed up in and around the city’s Gandhi Maidan where the main function of the Republic Day will be held amid restrictions due to the Covid19 pandemic. Passes have been issued to visitors to this historic venue where governor Phagu Chauhan will unfurl the national flag in the presence of the CM, prominent politicians, bureaucrats and other dignitaries. Patna divisional commissioner Sanjay Kumar Agarwal along with senior police officers took stock of the preparations for the Republic Day on Monday. A rehearsal of the parade was also held in which 17 teams participated. The venue of the function was later closed and visitors’ entry banned. Special traffic arrangements have also been made by the district administration. Movement of private vehicles has been diverted to avoid congestion in the vicinity of the Gandhi Maidan. Instructions have been issued not to open all entry gates of the Maidan for security reasons. While gate number one has been earmarked for the governor and the CM and some other VIPs, the police teams taking part in the parade will enter from gate number 5. People having passes will enter through gate 10 and gate number 9 has been earmarked for media persons. “Nobody without a valid pass will be allowed to go inside. The directive will be followed strictly. The cops on duty have already been alerted,” a senior police officer assigned to look after the security arrangements told this newspaper. Patna SSP Upendra Kumar Sharma said around 1,500 additional security personnel have been deployed at Gandhi Maidan for the function. Also, searches were conducted at different places in the city and patrolling intensified in pockets considered to be vulnerable from the security point of view. “An alert has been sounded and the SHOs asked to keep a strict vigil on trouble makers. Those found moving around suspiciously will be detained at the nearby police station,” he added. Meanwhile, instructions have been issued to take precautionary measures in the wake of a call for ‘tractor march’ to protest against the three farm bills. The call has been given jointly by CPI-ML (Liberation) and Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Mahasabha.

The Times of India

2021-01-26

Patna