Delhi Police has prepared an expanded security plan for the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar, including 37 blocking points in the New Delhi district, detention centres in all 15 districts and instructions to stop suspected protesters within their own jurisdictions, according to a report by The Indian Express.
The protest has been called by the Cockroach Janta Party and other organisations and is expected to draw participants from across the capital. Police have refused permission for any dharna or protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, a senior officer told The Indian Express. The New Delhi district has been placed under heightened security cover, with officers saying the deployment is intended to maintain law and order and keep the agitation peaceful.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar held a meeting with senior officers at police headquarters on Thursday to finalise the arrangements. District heads were directed to establish special detention centres in their respective districts and prevent protesters from travelling to the protest site. Police have also checked hotels and guesthouses and instructed them not to accept new visitors who appear to be arriving for the protest, while asking staff to inform local police about people considered suspicious, the report said.
The approach reverses the instructions issued during the previous CJP agitation in July, when district police were asked to guide students and others travelling to Jantar Mantar. For the October 10 protest, districts have instead been told to intensify patrolling, stop people travelling to the site and send them to detention centres if they refuse to turn back, according to the report.
The police deployment will cover all districts, units and battalions. Personnel have been directed to report to designated assembly points at 11 am for briefing and deployment. Officers said the new arrangement was based on two perceived shortcomings during the July agitation: an inadequate assessment of the number of protesters and the deployment of multiple units and districts at the same location. This time, each blocking point has been assigned to a specific district or unit.
The designated points include the Ranjit Singh Flyover near Barakhamba Road for Central district personnel, the Election Commission of India for North district personnel, and the roundabout near Windsor Place for Outer district personnel. Other assembly points include locations near India Gate, Parliament Street, Safdarjung Road, Janpath Metro station and the Ministry of Home Affairs building.
The Crime Branch and the First and Second Battalions of the Delhi Armed Police will report near Transport Bhawan. The Economic Offences Wing and the Special Police Unit for Women and Children will report near Parliament Street police station. The Licensing Unit, Foreigners Regional Registration Office and three Delhi Armed Police battalions will report at 11 Murti, while the Delhi Police Academy and Vigilance will report at Vijay Chowk.
Police have also planned a formation involving women personnel at the front and male personnel behind them to stop senior protest leaders, the report said. Women officers are expected to carry small body-worn devices. The internal communication instructed the heads of districts, units and battalions to nominate liaison officers and ensure that personnel report punctually to the designated deployment officers.
The October 10 protest is expected to affect movement around central Delhi, particularly routes leading towards Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street, India Gate and other parts of the New Delhi district. The police communication requires all nominated units to assemble at 11 am before deployment.
