Lucknow Police roll out tech-heavy safety strategy for Muharram
The Shahi Zari procession will mark the first day of Muharram, taking a route from Asifi Masjid (Bada Imambara) to Chota Imambara via Ghantaghar between 5 pm and 9 pm. Ashura, observed on the 10th of Muharram, will fall on July 6.
With the Islamic month of Muharram having commenced, Lucknow Police have implemented an elaborate security and traffic management plan featuring rooftop patrols, drone surveillance, and the deployment of newly inducted racer bikes in the congested lanes of the old city.
“To ensure peaceful observance of Muharram processions, a multilayered plan involving surveillance, traffic regulation, and community coordination has been activated,” commissioner of police Amrendra Kumar Sengar said.
The Shahi Zari procession will mark the first day of Muharram, taking a route from Asifi Masjid (Bada Imambara) to Chota Imambara via Ghantaghar between 5 pm and 9 pm. Ashura, observed on the 10th of Muharram, will fall on July 6.
Joint commissioner of police (law & order) Babloo Kumar shared details of the deployment: 18 additional DCPs, 54 ACPs, 114 inspectors, and more than 3,700 personnel, including 654 women officers, will be on duty. The city has been divided into five zones and 16 sectors to ensure coordinated enforcement.
“Anti-sabotage checks, drone monitoring, and rooftop surveillance are planned for areas like Tile Wali Masjid, Patanala, Akbari Gate, and Victoria Street,” he said, adding that riot control drills and deployment of fire brigades are also part of the preparedness.
Plainclothes personnel and anti-romeo squads will patrol congested and crowded places during peak hours to ensure women’s safety. DCP traffic Kamlesh Dixit informed that racer bikes, recently added to the fleet, will be used for agile movement in narrow lanes and swift response to incidents.
Traffic diversions and barricades will be enforced based on the real-time movement of processions. Dixit, who also heads the crime branch, added that social media platforms will be monitored continuously to track misinformation or inflammatory content. Legal action will be taken against violators.
UP on alert: DGP bars new Muharram processions
Uttar Pradesh Police have stepped up security across the state with the start of the Islamic month of Muharram, focusing on communally sensitive districts. District police chiefs have been instructed to ensure deployment along Tazia procession routes and mourning sites. Flag marches are being conducted in sensitive localities to maintain peace and order.
“Only those processions will be allowed that have been taken out traditionally in the past. No new processions or routes will be allowed,” director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna said, in a circular issued to district police chiefs. The guidelines are effective from June 27 to July 6, a press note shared from police headquarters stated on Thursday.
Each police station has been asked to review its festival register. Locations with past or current disputes are to be identified and assessed by police and revenue officials. Lists of anti-social and communal elements will be updated, and preventive action will be taken if required.
The police circular added that, “Proper videography and CCTV surveillance will be conducted during processions and gatherings, and drone cameras will be used in sensitive areas.”
Officials have also been directed to monitor social media around the clock and take legal action against those responsible for spreading misinformation or objectionable posts.
