Police in Varanasi tightened security on Saturday as the day marked 33 years since the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, prompting heightened vigilance across crowded and sensitive areas of the district.

Dashashwamedh ACP Atul Anjan Tripathi said a special operation had been launched for the day, with officers patrolling markets, ghats and dense neighbourhoods. Checking drives were underway at key public locations, he said, and personnel in plain clothes were deployed to monitor movements in congested localities.

He added that security forces had also been posted on rooftops in areas considered sensitive. Surveillance efforts were supported by advanced monitoring equipment, including binoculars and high-powered torches, to maintain real-time visibility across the city.

On Friday evening, a patrol was also conducted from Godaulia to the Ganga Ghat under Additional Commissioner of Police Shivhari Meena, along with the Rapid Action Force, Provincial Armed Constabulary, and local police force. During this patrol, suspicious individuals and vehicles were checked in crowded areas, police said.