Hyderabad shuts down for Babri

HYDERABAD: Shops and educational institutions were shut and roads wore a deserted look Saturday in the old city of Hyderabad as a day-long shutdown was observed amid tight security to mark the 16th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid.

Several Muslim political and religious organisations have called for observing a 'Black Day' to protest the demolition of the mosque in Ayodhya Dec 6, 1992.

The strike is total in the old city as black flags were put up on roof tops and on streets. The usual hustle-bustle around the historic Charminar and Mecca Masjid was missing. There were very few vehicles on the roads, while the bangles and bridal wear market Laad Bazar, hotels, jewellery and pearl shops, and the cloth market were shut.

An unprecedented security cover was thrown around the old city and other sensitive areas to prevent any untoward incident. Police banned meetings and rallies and imposed prohibitory orders across the city.

More than 15,000 police personnel including those from the paramilitary Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed to deal with any eventuality. A large number of them were deployed in the communally sensitive old city, which has witnessed violence on this day in the past.

Muslims constitute 40 percent of the city's seven million population and they are an overwhelming majority in the old city.

Police have made tight security arrangements near the historic Mecca Masjid to prevent any group from taking out processions. Though such arrangements are made every year, the police are extra cautious this time in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai and also  Wednesday's incident in the city in which four terror suspects escaped after opening fire, injuring two policemen.

Viqar Ahmed, an alleged former activist of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and city-based Darasgah Jihad-o-Shadat (DJS), and three of his accomplices are still at large.

Police refused permission to any group to organise rallies anywhere in the city. DJS is the only organisation that has been holding a rally every year at Indira Park, outside the old city. DJS was not given permission this time as pressure is mounting on the police to act tough against the outfit, which is accused of breeding terror.

Ayodhya was Saturday swarming with security personnel, including along the river Saryu, to thwart possible terror strikes, especially after the Mumbai attacks.

The entry points to the Uttar Pradesh town were strictly guarded, while policemen in motor boats were patrolling the Saryu river that flows gently along this ancient Hindu temple town, believed to be the birthplace of Hindu god Ram.

"We have deployed a dozen motor boats with more than 100 armed men to patrol the river round-the clock around Ayodhya and its twin town Faizabad as part of our stepped up vigil in the wake of the recent terror attacks in Mumbai," district police chief R.K.S. Rathore said.

He said: "As many as 700 additional armed policemen have been pressed into service since yesterday to maintain strict vigil in and around the 'Ramjanmbhoomi' complex, which is under the surveillance of nearly 1,200 armed policemen."
 
An estimated Rs.8.64 billion has been spent on the security of the complex since Dec 6, 1992.

The police have been guarding a heavily barricaded makeshift Ram temple that was hurriedly established over the debris of the mosque after its demolition.

The mosque was taken over by Hindus way back in 1935, after the mysterious appearance of Ram's deity in the main hall of the mosque.

Even as there is no official restriction on "darshan" (seeing the deity) at the makeshift temple that draws thousands of devotees every day, the intensified security at all entry points to the temple town has clearly brought down the number of visitors.

"Well, we are not stopping people from visiting Ayodhya, but they are being subjected to havy checking and frisking which is unavoidable," said Rathore.

He added, "however intensified security may not be entirely be the reason for lower turnout at the Ramjanmbhoomi today; people usually avoid visiting the place on Dec 6."