Bengaluru, Nov 9 (IANS): Security has been tightened across the city with schools and colleges to remain shut on Saturday in view of the Supreme Court's verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case, a top police officer said on Friday.

"About 15,000 policemen and women will be deployed by Saturday morning in and around the city to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao told reporters here.

The Karnataka government has declared holiday for all schools and colleges across the city on Saturday.

"Schools and colleges will remain closed on Saturday as a precautionary measure to ensure safety and security of the students and their faculty," state Education Minister Suresh Kumar said.

In view of the sensitivity of the decades-old dispute and the likely fallout of the verdict by a five-judge constitutional bench, 50 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 30 platoons of City Armed Police (CAR) will be deployed in sensitive areas, densely-populated localities and VIP zones.

"Mobile patrolling will be held across the city to maintain law and order and round up mischief mongers and trouble-makers," asserted Rao.

The police are also deploying bomb-detection and dog squads to sniff out any explosive material in sensitive areas of the city.

"All the officers and their deputies have been told to report for duty by 7 a.m. on Saturday to supervise security arrangements and take safety measures in all areas," added Rao.