The Dal has also deployed 18 mobile vans all over the state, including three in Mumbai, to monitor their self-imposed ban. According to Gaikar, the state government has ignored several representations asking for a ban on the killing of cows and calves on this day. ``How can we allow cow slaughter on a day which is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti,'' asked Gaikar.

However, General secretary of the Mumbai suburban Khatik Association, Mohammed Ali Patel, told Express Newsline that all slaughter houses and shops will keep commercial slaughteringclosed on Monday. ``We have issued a circular to our 600 members to ensure that no commercial killing takes place tomorrow,'' said Patel. The Deonar abattoir will also suspend commercial operations on Monday, but arrangements have been made to permit the slaughter of sacrificial goats, he added.

Samajwadi Party (SP) city unit chief Yusuf Abrahani said the party would not take the Dal's threats lying down. ``If the Bajrang Dal attacks Muslims, we will be forced to retaliate. However, we will first ask the police to protect Muslims, as it is their duty to protect all citizens.'' The police said adequate bandobast would be made in the city. As a preventive measure, the city police have already rounded up more than 150 persons under section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Twenty platoons of the State Reserve Police have also been deployed to assist the local police. Security has been intensified in sensitive areas like Dongri, Nagpada, Agripada, Govandi and Bandra.