Mangaluru : District incharge Minister Ramanath Rai has said elaborate security arrangements will be made to ensure that no untoward incidents occur after the Hindu Samajotsava, in Mangaluru on March 1.

Briefing reporters, after a review meeting on law and order situation in Dakshina Kannada here on Wednesday, he said police personnel from outside the district will be deployed along with the district police to maintain law and order during the programme.

The Minister said that CCTV cameras will be installed at strategic locations. The process of installing the cameras will commence shortly. The police will conduct nakabandhi at sensitive areas, he added.

Stating that peace meeting will be convened in all the police stations, Rai said that sector magistrates will be appointed to initiate precautionary measures.

He said that the government will not tolerate any communally inciting hatred triggering violence, following hate speech during Samajotsava. Any flex and posters spreading the message of communal hatred will be prevented. The government will ensure that peace and harmony prevails and no common man is put to hardship. The police will frame a set of guidelines to be followed by the organisers while organising religious programmes like samajotsava in the future. Stringent action will be initiated against those who incite communal hatred. A peace meeting by involving leaders of both the communities will be convened either on February 27 or 28, he added.

IGP (Western Range) Amrith Paul said that the police have already convened a meeting of the organisers and have been asked to follow the decorum to maintain communal harmony in the region. The organisers have already submitted a list of speakers during the Samajotsava. The organisers have been asked to adhere to the time frame to close the programme at 5 pm. The IGP said that the organisers have been asked not to take law into their hands.

The Minister said that the State government has released Rs 4,02,518 towards the payment of medical expenses of the victims, during recent the communal riot, at Ulaibettu in Mangaluru taluk. Following a proposal submitted by the Deputy Commissioner to the government seeking to release Rs 5,62,113 towards the treatment of 21 persons, the state government has released the amount, he added.