Gujarat Police has deployed a statewide security plan for more than 22,000 garba events during Navratri, with women’s safety teams, cybercrime monitoring, CCTV and metal detectors forming the main pillars of the arrangement. The plan covers sensitive metropolitan areas as well as rural locations where large public gatherings are expected.
According to a report by Gujarat Samachar, the state police chief has directed all district police superintendents and police commissioners to remain alert, increase patrolling and ensure security around garba venues. The measures are intended to maintain public order during one of Gujarat’s largest annual festivals, which draws millions of participants across public grounds, party plots, shopping zones and surrounding roads.
Women’s safety teams, known as ‘She Teams’, will maintain a continuous watch at garba grounds and crowded areas. Female police personnel will be deployed both in uniform and plain clothes, while some officers will operate in traditional attire inside garba venues. The deployment will include crowded approach roads, shopping areas and party plots, in addition to the event premises.
The police plan specifically targets harassment, indecent behaviour and attempts to approach women under the cover of participating in the celebrations. Officers will monitor crowds and take legal action at the venue against people accused of molesting or harassing women and young women, the report said. The arrangement places particular responsibility on venue-level policing, where crowd density and limited visibility can make it difficult to identify incidents quickly.
Cybercrime police will also monitor social media platforms around the clock during the festival. The monitoring will focus on objectionable comments about deities, obscene material, and videos or audio clips that could hurt religious sentiments or disturb social harmony. Gujarat Police has warned that people spreading rumours may face immediate registration of first information reports and arrest under applicable provisions of the Information Technology Act.
The security directions also set out requirements for garba organisers. Venues must provide separate entry and exit gates, high-definition CCTV cameras across the premises, door-frame metal detectors, hand-held metal detectors and breath analysers. These measures are intended to strengthen access control, identify prohibited items and detect alcohol-related violations during events.
The requirements also make venue design and organiser compliance central to the security plan. Separate movement routes can reduce congestion at entry and exit points, while CCTV coverage gives police a tool to monitor crowd activity and investigate incidents. The supplied report does not specify the number of police personnel assigned to each event, the inspection schedule for organisers or the penalties for venues that fail to meet the prescribed requirements.
Gujarat Police has appealed to citizens to report suspicious activity or emergencies to the local police control room or the emergency helpline 112. The next stage of the plan will depend on how individual organisers implement the security instructions and how police units manage surveillance, patrolling and emergency response during the festival.
