Meerut Police to issue 'red card' notices to 100 'troublemakers' ahead of Eid
Meerut (UP) (PTI): Ahead of Eid, the Meerut Police have identified around 100 individuals as potential law and order concerns and plan to issue them "red card" notices, an official said on Saturday.
Cases have previously been registered against these individuals on charges of causing disturbances or creating tense situations during festivals, they said.
A red card notice is primarily a preventive tool used to identify, track, and deter criminals and troublemakers.
Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey told PTI that in order to ensure a peaceful Eid, coordination with all Islamic clerics and mosque management committees has been established.
He said that officials have held discussions with the management of the district's 544 mosques and 146 Eidgahs, and all of them have given assurances that prayers will not be offered on the roads under any circumstances.
The SSP also refuted reports which had quoted him as stating that the passports of those offering prayers on roads or violating regulations would be revoked.
He clarified that no such new directive has been issued by the administration.
However, Pandey added that if any individual violates the law, strict action will certainly be taken against them.
Superintendent of Police (City) Ayush Vikram Singh told PTI that records from the past five years of individuals involved in creating disputes or tense situations during festivals have been reviewed.
Red card notices will be issued to approximately 100 such people, he said.
He noted that individuals from any religious background could be included in this list.
He explained that the notices would serve as a warning that if any attempt is made to disrupt the atmosphere during or around the time of Eid.
A case will be registered against the concerned individual, and strict action will be taken. If deemed necessary, measures may also be initiated under the National Security Act (NSA).
According to police, during Eid last year, an incident involving a scuffle with the police -- stemming from the breaking of barricades and offering of prayers on the roads -- was reported within the jurisdiction of the Railway Road police station area.
In this case, a complaint was registered against around 55 individuals, some of whom are likely to be served with the red card notice.
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Punjab: Blast near army cantt area in Amritsar, hours after explosion in Jalandhar
Chandigarh (PTI): An explosion occurred near the army cantonment area in Khasa late Tuesday night in Punjab's Amritsar, the second such incident which took place around three hours after a blast outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar.
According to the police, an investigation into both blast incidents is currently underway, and no injuries have been reported.
The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar, while the second blast occurred at approximately 11 pm in Amritsar.
Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud sound at around 11 pm on a road in Khasa. "Our teams arrived on the scene immediately," he said.
Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP.
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Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.
Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S. Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off.
CCTV footage from the vicinity shows the explosion occurring at night. A local villager reported that his family was awakened by the loud sound and came outside their home to see what had happened.
Before the Amritsar explosion, a blast took place outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday, causing panic in the area.
CCTV footage captured the explosion, which resulted in a cloud of smoke. An unidentified man was seen running for cover following the blast.
The blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. It belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, one of Gurpreet's relatives said that the scooter caught fire as he was approaching it. He immediately called his father and informed him about the incident.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that an Activa scooter parked near the gate caught fire suddenly. She stated that Gurpreet is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses nearby reported hearing a loud sound following the explosion.
On April 27, an explosion occurred at a freight corridor rail track in Shambhu in Patiala. Police had arrested four members of a pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, for the blast.
In light of these incidents, opposition parties have condemned the AAP government for its handling of the situation.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, over the recent blasts.
"Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day, May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters and Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and the collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann, who is also the state Home Minister, is busy with mimicry and cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office," Badal said in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also slammed the Mann government over the two blasts.
"Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action," Warring said in a post on X.
