6,031 loudspeakers removed from religious places across UP

LUCKNOW –  Additional Director General of Police (ADG) (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar on Wednesday said that so far 6,031 loudspeakers have been removed from religious places and sound of 29,674 has been lowered across Uttar Pradesh in compliance of the order issued by the High Court. Kumar said on Wednesday that a maximum 1,366 loudspeakers were removed in the Varanasi zone and the sound of 2,417 was lowered. In addition to this 1,215 loudspeakers were removed in Meerut zone and 1,056 in Kanpur zone. He said that 912 loudspeakers were removed in Lucknow zone and 30 were removed in Agra zone. Sounds of 6,400 loudspeakers lowered in Lucknow zone followed by 6,257 in Bareilly zone, 5,976 in Meerut zone, 2,767 in Gorakhpur zone and 905 in Agra zone. Kumar said that there are clear directives from the Uttar Pradesh government and the police headquarters that all festivals should be celebrated traditionally and orders of the High Court should be complied with as far as sound and voice is concerned. He said that the police administration has interacted with 37,344 religious gurus pertaining to Alvida Namaz or festivals celebrated before that, whereas few are still to be contacted. He said that so far 125 loudspeakers have been removed by the police administration, while people have voluntarily reduced the sound of the public address system at about 17,000 places. The ADG said that Alvida Namaz will be offered at 31,000 places. In addition to this Namaz will be offered at 7,500 Eidgahs and 20,000 mosques. Tight security arrangements have been made specially in sensitive districts. He said that along with jawans of the local police 47 to 48 companies of PAC are being deployed. Peace Committee meetings have been held to conduct the goodbye prayers in a peaceful manner, he said.