Read the following statement and the suggested courses of action carefully, and then decide which course of action or combination of courses of action logically follows from the information given, assuming the statement is true even if it appears unusual. Statement: There was a sudden spurt in criminal activities in the city during the recent festival season. Courses of action: a. The police should immediately investigate in detail the causes of this increase in crime during the festival period. b. In future, the police should take adequate precautionary measures to avoid a recurrence of such a situation during festival seasons. c. The known criminals should be arrested before the beginning of every festival season.

Introduction / Context:
This logical reasoning question on course of action is based on a situation where criminal activities suddenly increase during a festival season in a city. Such questions test your ability to identify practical, reasonable, and directly relevant responses that authorities should adopt. You must assume the statement is completely true and then judge which proposed courses of action are appropriate and logically follow from the given information.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• There was a sudden spurt in criminal activities in the city.
• This increase in crime occurred during a recent festival season.
• The festival season is a recurring event, so similar situations may arise again in the future.
• The police are responsible for maintaining law and order.
• Known criminals exist within the city.

Concept / Approach:
In course of action questions, a proposed action follows logically only if it is:

• Practical and feasible.
• Directly related to the cause or effect in the statement.
• Likely to help solve, control, or prevent the problem.

At the same time, a course of action that is extreme, unjustified, or violates basic principles (for example, arresting people without clear reason) generally does not follow from the statement.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine course of action a. Investigating the causes of the sudden increase in crime is a logical and necessary first step. Without knowing the reasons, it is difficult to design effective preventive measures. This is directly related to the problem and is fully justified, so course of action a follows. Step 2: Examine course of action b. Since the crime increased during a festival season and festivals will occur again, the police must plan preventive measures for future festivals. Taking adequate precautions to avoid a recurrence is logical, proactive, and directly linked to the statement. Therefore, course of action b also follows. Step 3: Examine course of action c. Arresting all known criminals before every festival season is an extreme measure. The statement only says there was an increase in crime; it does not state that all known criminals were responsible. Arrest without specific evidence or fresh offences is not a justified or reasonable course of action. Step 4: Compare the options with the evaluation of a, b, and c. Since a and b follow but c does not, the correct option must be the one that includes both a and b and excludes c.

Verification / Alternative check:
A good way to verify is to ask whether each course of action could reasonably be recommended by a responsible authority in real life, based only on the information given. Investigating causes (a) and taking future precautions (b) are standard and reasonable responses for a police force facing a crime spike. Mass arrest of known criminals without fresh cause (c) would likely be considered a violation of rights and may not withstand legal or ethical scrutiny. Thus, our earlier evaluation is consistent and reasonable.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Only c follows: This is incorrect because c is extreme and not clearly justified, while a and b are both logical and necessary.
• Only a follows: This ignores the need for preventive measures in future festival seasons, so it is incomplete.
• Both b and c follow: This wrongly includes c, which is not a justified course of action, and it ignores the essential investigative step in a.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students think that any strict action against criminals must automatically be correct. However, in course of action questions you must consider legality, proportionality, and direct connection to the problem. Another common mistake is to select only immediate corrective steps (like investigation) and forget the need for longer term preventive planning, which is exactly what course of action b represents.

Final Answer:
Both a and b follow.