Prohibitory orders clamped in Muslim dominated Kishanganj

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code were clamped in the Muslim dominated Kishanganj district in Bihar following the terrorist attack on the Ramjanambhomi complex in Ayodhya on Tuesday.

Kishanganj District Magistrate D N Prasad said patrolling has been intensified to maintain law and order in the area.

Prasad said Kishanganj does not come under the communally sensitive pocket and is generally known to be peaceful. However, the district administration is not taking chances in view of the district's proximity to Nepal and Bangladesh borders.

Also see: What does the Ayodhya attack signify? 

He was silent when asked about intelligence reports warning about the possibility of trouble by terrorists in the district.

The state government has sounded a high alert and deployed police forces in sensitive pockets across the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal organised protests across the state against the attack on the disputed Ramjanambhoomi temple. Effigies of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh were burnt at several places.

Following a directive from the Centre, Bihar has beefed up security at all important religious places, including Bodh Gaya and Vishnupad temple in Gaya, and directed police to deal strictly with people disrupting communal harmony.

Official sources in the Home Department said the government had put on hold all transfers of Indian Police Service officers."The transfers of over a dozen IPS officers were withheld in view of the BJP's protest call," the sources added.