New Delhi: The authorities in Uttar Pradesh Shahjahanpur, have covered 48 mosques in the town with tarpaulins ahead of Holi. These mosques are located on the route of the popular Laat Sahab Holi procession, also called Jootamar Holi. The procession is scheduled to take place on March 3, a day ahead of Holi.
Security tightened ahead of procession
The local administration said that compared to last year, the security arrangements have been tightened at least 1.5 times this year. There will be at least 2,000 police personnel on the ground on duty on the day. These will include 13 Circle Officers, 310 sub-inspectors, 1,200 constables and 500 home guards. Apart from them the several magistrate level officers will be overseeing the security arrangements in the city.
There will also be Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF), stationed in Shahjahanpur on the day of the procession, reported the Times of India. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will also remain on standby in the city.
Around 100 CCTV cameras have been installed in the city to monitor all the Jootamar Holi processions. There are several large processions and some smaller ones in the city, said officials, which cover approximately an 8-kilometre radius. The police have also created an additional security zone for this year, given that last year there were minor disputes and disruptions during the procession.
The police have also barricaded 148 lanes on the procession route, so as to prevent sudden crowd surges, said Additional District Magistrate (administration) Rajnish Kumar Mishra.
Apart from the procession routes, security has also been tightened at the Holika Dahan sites. More than 100 magistrates will be deployed at these sites to maintain law and order.
What is Jootamaar Holi procession
The Jootamaar procession started in 1728 when Nawab Abdullah Khan returned to Shahjahanpur on Holi. He was welcomed by both Hindu and Muslim residents. After Independence, the event came to be known as the Nawab Sahab procession.
In 1988 it was renamed as Laat Sahab procession.