Patna: The Bihar government has ordered heightened security and stepped-up vigilance across the state ahead of the Holi festival, with senior officials warning districts to guard against communal tensions and disorder.
At a high-level review meeting held via video conference on Tuesday, Bihar’s chief secretary, Pratyaya Amrit, directed district magistrates and superintendents of police to ensure that celebrations on March 3 and 4 pass off peacefully.
The meeting, convened by the Cabinet Secretariat Department, focused on maintaining law and order during the festival, which has in previous years seen outbreaks of communal violence in some areas.
The additional director general (law and order), Pankaj Darad, told officials that around 20 incidents of communal tension were reported during last year’s Holi celebrations. He urged districts to remain “especially vigilant” and instructed magistrates to convene peace committee meetings to foster communication between different communities and curb the spread of rumours.
The director general of police, Vinay Kumar, ordered strict enforcement of security measures. He said sound systems and DJs would be closely monitored and warned that action should be taken against those violating regulations. District police chiefs were told to conduct detailed briefings of officers and ensure that personnel carry out their duties “diligently and effectively”.
Authorities have also been instructed to keep riot control units on 24-hour standby and deploy special checking teams at sensitive locations. The state’s emergency response service, Dial 112, and district coordination centres are to remain fully operational throughout the festival period. Hospitals and fire services have been asked to stay on alert to respond swiftly to any untoward incidents.
The additional chief secretary of the home department, Arvind Chaudhary, attended the meeting and called on district administrations to take “all possible steps” to preserve law and order.
