Vijayawada: 850 Village Protection Force panels to guard places of worship

Vijayawada: In all, 850 Village Protection Force (VPF) committees were formed in Krishna district to keep surveillance of the temples, churches, mosques and places of worship in view of some incidents of desecration of temples and idols taking place in the State.

Teams were constituted with local volunteers, youth and elders with 10 to 15 members as they voluntarily coming forward to protect peace and maintain harmony in their villages.

DGP D Gautam Sawang called upon the police officials to form surveillance teams, peace committees in the villages to protect the worship places as anti-social elements are trying to instigate violence in the state in the name of caste and religion.

In response to the orders given by the DGP, the Krishna district superintendent of police M Ravindranath Babu has taken initiative to constitute surveillance teams known as Village Protect Force committees with 10 to 15 members from the villages and habitations. The main objective of the VPF committees is to keep surveillance of the places of worship, chariots and other holy places during the nights. Youth and elderly people share the work and teams guard the places of worship from the attacks and desecration etc. Besides, the protection force teams also keep vigil on the unknown people who visit the villages and habitations particularly near the places of worship like temples, churches, mosques and other places like chariots. These committees work under the direct supervision of the Sub-inspector of police in the respective police station limits.

SP Ravindranath Babu is guiding the police officials to regularly monitor the law and order in their jurisdiction and keep vigil on the anti-social elements, former history sheeters and others, who may disrupt peace and harmony among the people living in the villages in the name of religion.