Kumbh Mela: Vegetarian, Teetotaller Policemen to be on Duty; Deployment to Begin From October 10

Aspirants also need to have "certified good character" clearances from their seniors.

Allahabad: For the Kumbh Mela starting January 15 next month, the administration is reportedly looking for young, energetic, vegetarian, teetotaller, non-smoker and soft-spoken men. Those selected would be deployed in the mela, said a report in The Times of India on Friday.

Aspirants also need to have “certified good character” clearances from their seniors. The department has also decided that those on duty during the Kumbh shouldn’t belong to Allahabad. The report said that deployment of security will start by October. More than 10,000 men in uniform, including paramilitary personnel, are expected to be on duty. (Also read: Tourists to Cruise Along Ghats)

Meanwhile, there is an age limit set for various ranks. While constables to be assigned duties should be below age 35, head constables below 40 and sub-inspectors and inspectors need to be younger than 45. DIG/SSP (Kumbh) KP Singh, said, “We’ve written to the SSPs of Bareilly, Badaun, Shahjahanpur and Pilibhit to verify the character of policemen who have applied for the mela duty as the department seeks only vegetarian, non-smoking, non-drinking and soft-spoken policemen for the period.”

Starting October 10, police will be assigned duties in four phases. Around 10% will be deployed in the first phase, Singh said, and 40% in the second phase in November. In phases three and four respectively, 25% each of paramilitary forces will be deployed in December. The DIG added that he had written to SSPs to interview policemen personally as officials for the second, third and fourth
phases will be coming from western and other parts of the state.

Earlier, Muslims in the city had decided to remove parts of various mosques ahead of the mela. They removed the parts of mosques built on government land. “We have done this by our own will. These sections were built on government land and have been demolished. Government is widening roads ahead of Kumbh Mela and we support it,” said one of the Muslim residents, news agency ANI reported.