Patna, Sept. 28: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today visited Gandhi Maidan to inspect the ground as the district administration conducted a mock drill ahead of Ravan Vadh on September 30.

There was tight security across the ground; even the state rapid action force was inside. Patna district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Agarwal briefed Nitish about the security arrangements being put in place. Nitish was at Gandhi Maidan for a short while. He did a full circle of the ground's periphery sitting in his car.

Asked about any special instructions from Nitish for the Ravan Vadh programme, Agarwal told The Telegraph: 'The chief minister has instructed us to ensure there are no encroachments inside and outside the ground. Anything dumped in the periphery of the ground must be removed immediately.'

Soon after Nitish left, the DM, Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Abhishek Singh, senior superintendent police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, City SP (Central) D. Amarkesh, City SP (East) Vishal Sharma, City SP (West) Ravindra Kumar and traffic SP P.K. Das separately briefed the magistrates and police at Gandhi Maidan.

Agarwal asked Gandhi Maidan station house officer (SHO) Priya Ranjan to remove Disney Land, complete with rides for children, from the ground immediately. Amarkesh told the DM the Disney Land was open till 3am today. The DM asked for the rides to be dismantled.

'The importance of Ravan Vadh can be gauged from the fact that the chief minister himself inspected the ground,' Agawal said. 'It is the duty of every officer to ensure this programme passes off peacefully. No police officer or magistrate will leave the ground till 99 per cent of the crowd has dispersed.'

Kamal Nopani, president of the Sri Dussehra Committee Trust, which is organising Vijaya Dashami celebrations at Gandhi Maidan for the past 61 years, was present at the meeting.

The DM issued instructions against the use of the public address system for only announcing people who have got lost. It should also be used to monitor the crowds, he said.

Amarkesh told the SSP and DM that the traffic police and jawans were missing in action after 10pm and there was a need to instruct them to perform their duty honestly. He said street vendors had almost captured a flank of Dakbungalow road, creating traffic problems.

Maharaj looked disappointed with the jawans and traffic management. 'During police training, we have to undergo something called jungle training in which we sleep for just an hour a day,' Maharaaj said. 'This training goes on for a week. Officers must have the will power to do their duty. Prepare yourself mentally and physically. All of you have to do duty for four more days. If any firing takes is reported from Naubatpur or Bakhtiyarpur, our complete effort would be a failure. So, do your duty beyond the area you are deployed in.'

Maharaaj said the traffic plan must be implemented instead of just being on paper. Traffic SP Das said he had been provided limited traffic jawans but ensured the DM and SSP he would do his best.

Entry into Gandhi Maidan would start around 1pm; officers have been asked to be on duty before that. Visitors can enter the ground from gate numbers 6, 7, 8, 9 10, 11 and 12. The DM issued special instructions to deal with rumours. He asked against creating panic if any suspect is caught. The SSP told officers not to make much noise over the wireless. Where required, they could use their cellphones to call officers concerned, he said.

Effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnath have already reached the ground. The Sri Dussehra Committee Trust has been asked to protect the effigies from rain and to organise fireworks for at least 15 minutes after Ravan Vadh to engage the crowds so that they do not start rushing out right after.

On the day of Ravan Vadh, no vehicles other than those of the district administration would be allowed to move in the periphery of Gandh Maidan from 1pm till the crowd disperses.

Hundreds of special passes have been issued for vehicles of organisers. Parking would be made available at SK Memorial Hall and AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies. Altogether 25 water tanks and 13 ambulances would be deployed at the 13 gates and one ambulance and water tank would be inside the ground.