HYDERABAD, Feb 8: A massive security cover will be provided to Muharram processions in the district on Thursday. Around 3,200 policemen will be deployed along routes of processions.

The security measures were taken following a meeting held under Sindh Home Minister Abdul Rauf Siddiqui.

The minister declared the entire Sindh, and not only some areas, as sensitive.

“Passing of mourning processions will be monitored through close-circuit cameras,” said a police spokesman.

Police have established the main control-room in the office of the city TPO.

The processions will mainly pass through Qadam Gah Maula Ali to Karbala Dadan Shah on the Station Road.

An armoured personnel carrier will escort the main procession from Qadam Gah Maula Ali up to Karbala Dadan Shah.

Ambulance and fire brigade vehicles will be part of the security team.

Police have set up four helpline camps at Qadam Gah, Kohinoor Chowk, Police petrol station and Market Tower.

All connecting streets and thoroughfares of the Station road will be sealed in the wee hours of Thursday to stop vehicular traffic.

The road will remain closed throughout the day till all the processions reached their destinations.

Likewise, the road from the Market Tower, Tilak in-cline and St-Marry Girls High School will also be closed for traffic to allow the processions to pass.

As alternate measures, roads of Chandi cinema, CMH and New Majestic will be available for traffic. Movement of heavy traffic has been banned for two days in the city.

Residents of the routes of the processions were asked not to allow anyone to sit on rooftops of their houses so that no one could create trouble by throwing stones on the processions, the spokesman said.

A police picket under a DSP has been deployed on the rooftop of a language teaching centre at the Tilak in-cline to hold Tazias until clearance of the mourning processions.

There would be deployment of around 200 policemen in Goth Noor Khan Chang.

On Wednesday, no untoward incident during the mourning processions and Majalis was reported from any part of the district.

DPO Ali Ahmed Junejo visited various places in the city and held brief meetings with other officers regarding the security measures.

Police and Rangers increased patrolling on Wednesday ahead of Ashura and were deployed outside Majalis, Imam Bargahs and at places of Tazias.