Delhi Police is preparing an extensive security operation for the CJP-AISA protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, with 221 companies of Central Armed Police Forces, comprising around 23,000 personnel, being made available between October 8 and 12 and movement restrictions planned across parts of the capital.
The deployment has been arranged by the Ministry of Home Affairs, according to police officers cited by The Indian Express. Five all-women paramilitary companies will also be deployed. CRPF units are being brought in from Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh for the operation.
Police are preparing around 10 detention centres across Delhi districts for people detained during the protest. Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana and Chhatrasal Stadium are among the facilities being readied, while additional centres are being established in Narela, East Delhi and Northwest Delhi.
Security checks are expected to increase at Delhi’s borders. Officers said people suspected of attempting to mobilise crowds could be stopped and detained at entry points. Railway authorities have also been contacted to regulate train movement into Delhi for a specified period, based on police inputs about possible mobilisation from outside the capital.
The restrictions are expected to affect daily travel and commercial activity in central Delhi. Police are coordinating with app-based cab companies over movement towards Lutyens’ Delhi, where roads leading into the New Delhi district may face entry restrictions. Cab operators are being briefed about the planned controls.
Hotels, guest houses and other accommodation facilities in and around Central Delhi have been asked to stop or restrict fresh bookings for a specified period. Police officers said hotel owners in Paharganj had been briefed, with similar discussions held in parts of South and North Delhi. The Delhi government’s Excise department has separately ordered liquor shops across the city to remain closed on October 9 and 10, citing police inputs and the need to maintain public order.
The Delhi Metro network could also face significant disruption. Restrictions or closures at around 40 stations in and around sensitive areas are being considered. During the July CJP protest, approximately 16 Metro stations were shut, according to the report. Any station closures would affect commuters travelling through central Delhi and connecting areas.
Police officers said internet restrictions could be imposed in locations where detainees are housed to prevent further mobilisation. Similar restrictions may be extended to parts of New Delhi and Central Delhi depending on the security situation. Officers also warned that people recording or livestreaming the protest, including YouTubers and mobile journalists, could face action if they obstruct police operations, violate restrictions or contribute to unlawful mobilisation. They said such individuals would not automatically be treated as protesters.
Media organisations have been asked to ensure that journalists covering the protest carry and prominently display valid press identification cards at barricades and other sensitive locations. The security arrangements are scheduled to remain in force through October 12, with the final extent of restrictions linked to police assessments around the protest.
