Lucknow: A red alert has been sounded throughout Uttar Pradesh and additional para- military and Rapid Action Force deployed at all sensitive places in view of reports of possible terrorist strikes at Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya shrines on the 10th anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6, officials said on December 5.

Principal secretary (home) Pradeep Kumar said all district police chiefs have been directed to maintain tight security. "We are ready to meet any eventuality. Security has been tightened all over the state with additional para-military forces and RAF deployed at all sensitive districts."

Officials say with members of one community planning to observe it as 'victory day' and the other as a day of sorrow, chances of skirmishes were high.

Kumar said district administrations of Varanasi, Mathura and Ayodhya-Faizabad have been asked to maintain optimum vigil at all sensitive places.

Besides routine checking through metal detectors, no vehicle would be allowed to ply near the 'Ram janam bhoomi' complex in Ayodhya, 'Krishna Janam bhoomi' in Mathura and Vishwanath temple-Gyanvyapi mosque in Varanasi.

These steps are being taken to ensure that no terrorist or Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) agent plants a remote control device or a car bomb to blast the sites, Kumar said.

PTI