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News of Jan 2 2007  
High Alert at Allahabad Kumbh Site

Allahabad, Jan 2
A high security alert has been sounded in and around the site of the Kumbh Mela as up to 2.5 million devotees are expected to take a holy dip Wednesday, the opening day of the six-yearly, 42-day long Hindu festival.

"Apart from the overall deployment of 10,000-11,000 policemen, there will be round-the-clock vigil over the 4,000-acre area to ensure safety and security of the mammoth gathering. We have also created a special task force of plainclothes police," Rajeev Sabharwal, senior superintendent of police and Mela police chief, told IANS here.

"While there is no direct terrorist threat to the Mela, a general alert has been sounded since this is going to be the largest single gathering of people. We cannot take any chances," he said.

A special team of "terrorist spotters" drawn from militancy-affected states has also been created. While Sabharwal declined to give details of their deployment, he said the security personnel were fully geared to tackle any contingency.

The large police force includes about 3,000 heavily equipped men drawn from paramilitary organizations Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

As many as 25 police stations and 25 police outposts have been set up along the banks of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. "We have also created five special camps for 'lost and found' people," Sabharwal added. 

IANS News of Jan 2 2007

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