BHOPAL, INDIA, April 22, 2016 (Times of India): Politicians, judges, bureaucrats, industrialists, movie stars and celebrities of all shades planning to take a holy bath this Simhastha Kumbh Mela at Ujjain have been told by an “overburdened” Madhya Pradesh police that they will not be provided with additional security, sparing personnel at the expense of routine cover for the event.
Bothered by number of applications seeking “special arrangement” in the last few days, state government has issued an advisory to Supreme court/high court registers, chief secretaries and police headquarters (PHQs) across the country citing that they would not be able to comply with security protocol or provide any additional cover to anyone else falling in the VIP and VVIP categories. “We have received more than 250 applications from VIPs and VVIPs of different states seeking security arrangements for their Ujjain visit, which is not at all possible,” said a senior officer.
Over 70 million pilgrims are expected to visit Ujjain and other holy places during the month long fair, for which huge security and logistical arrangements have been made, including shifting of police forces from all 51 districts to Ujjain.