Mangaluru: Security has been beefed up across Mangaluru city in view of the Mangaluru Chalo bike rally organised by the BJP Yuva Morcha.

BJP activists, including local MP Nalin Kumar Kateel have gathered in large numbers at Jyothi Circle for the rally.

Barricades have been put up at many places across the city and the situation is being monitored by Police commissioner T R Suresh.

The bike rally demanding a ban on PFI, SDPI outfits, resignation of district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai among others was flagged off across various districts in the state on Tuesday, September 5 in defiance of the restrictive orders of the state government amid high drama.

Though the rally did not get the requisite permission from the Superitendent of Police in various districts, including Mangaluru, where the rally is supposed to culminate at Nehru Maidan today citing sensitive nature of the district and to maintain harmony several BJP members have gone ahead with the programme.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa who arrived in the city on Wednesday is expected to address the rally here.

Meanwhile, despite imposition of restriction orders under Karnataka police Act 35(3) in the limits of Police Commissionerate till Friday September 12:00am which does not permit any organization or individuals to hold bike rallies, protests, processions etc.,the Mangaluru police have allowed the BJP to hold a public meeting for three hours at Nehru Maidan from 11am to 2pm.

Around 15 platoons of KSRP and over 600 additional police personnel have been depolyed across the city to prevent any untoward incident.