Lucknow, Feb 13 (IANS): The leave of all Uttar Pradesh policemen has been cancelled between March 3 and 11 to ensure peace and communal amity during the Holi festival, an official said Friday.

Director General of Police (DGP) A.K. Jain has directed all district police chiefs not to grant leave and remain alert during the festival. Holi will be celebrated March 6.

Leave during this period would only be granted in a special case, the official said.

This has been done to ensure peaceful passage of the festival and vigil has been stepped up in communally sensitive areas, IG (Law and Order) A. Satish Ganesh said.

Security has been beefed up for the Mahashivratri festival Feb 17 in Agra, Varanasi, Faizabad, Ayodhya, Mathura, and Vrindavan.

Personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) will be deployed in sensitive places.

Two companies of the RAF will be deployed in Lucknow, while one company each of the RAF will be deployed in Meerut, Bareilly, Kanpur, Moradabad, Agra, Aligarh, Allahabad, Azamgarh, Varanasi and Gorakhpur, said Ganesh.