More than 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Delhi ahead of the October 10 protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party and several student groups, a senior officer said, as authorities warned that no permission had been granted for a gathering at Jantar Mantar.
The deployment has been made as a precautionary measure to prevent any breach of peace and to ensure the movement of people and traffic, according to the officer. The police have appealed to residents and potential protesters to avoid participating in any unauthorised gathering and to follow the prohibitory orders already in force in the area.
“We are well prepared and motivated to handle the law-and-order situation in the city on Saturday. No permission has been granted so far for any protest at Jantar Mantar,” the officer said.
The security arrangements are expected to affect the management of movement around the protest site and other parts of the capital where personnel have been deployed. The police have also appealed to protesters and members of the public not to engage in violence or attack personnel assigned to security duties.
“We appeal to everyone to maintain peace and not attack police personnel. Any such act is a crime and strict legal action will be taken against those found involved,” the officer said.
The police have issued specific instructions to personnel on handling women protesters and asked them to avoid unnecessary confrontation. Daily briefings are being conducted to ensure that members of the deployed force follow the same instructions while managing the law-and-order situation.
The protest organisers and student groups have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Their demand is linked to allegations that he presided over the deletion of lakhs of voters across the country during the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. The supplied report does not include a response from the Chief Election Commissioner or details of any official finding on these allegations.
The police have also cautioned people against believing or circulating unverified information on social media and other platforms during the protest period. “People should not believe or circulate fake news merely because they have seen something online. They are requested to trust only the official social media handles and verified communication channels of Delhi Police,” the officer said.
The prohibitory orders and the security deployment will remain central to the authorities’ management of the October 10 protest, with officials asking all participants and residents to maintain peace and comply with the law.
