Delhi protest: Police sets up detention centres across 15 districts

Learning from what senior officers described as two lapses during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation in July, the Delhi Police has drawn up a ‘fail-safe plan’ for the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar, refusing all requests for permission to hold demonstrations and preparing to restrict protesters within their respective districts.

As part of the security arrangements, the police has set up dedicated detention centres in all 15 districts and identified 37 blocking points across the New Delhi district, assigning each to a specific district or police unit, The Indian Express has learnt.

The protest is expected to draw several organisations, prompting heightened security arrangements in the New Delhi district. Senior police officers said the deployment was aimed at ensuring that the agitation remained peaceful and law and order was maintained.

Police commissioner chairs meeting

Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar met senior officers at the police headquarters on Thursday to finalise the security strategy.

“It was first decided not to grant any permission for anyone to hold any kind of dharna or protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10. All district heads were directed to set up special detention centres in their districts and to stop all protestors within their own districts only,” a senior police officer said.

Following the directions, police teams have checked hotels and guesthouses across the capital and instructed them not to accommodate new visitors suspected of arriving to participate in the protest. They have also been asked to alert local police if they notice anyone suspicious, the officer said.

The approach marks a departure from the arrangements during the previous agitation, when district police were instructed to guide students and other protesters travelling to Jantar Mantar. This time, police personnel have been directed to intensify patrolling, prevent protesters from proceeding towards the demonstration site and take them to detention centres if they refuse to turn back.

All districts, police units and battalions have been instructed to report to designated assembly points at 11 am on Saturday for briefings and deployment.

Women personnel to be deployed at the front

Police sources said the force has also planned to prevent senior protest leaders from reaching the demonstration site.

According to a source, women police personnel will march at the front of the deployment, supported by male personnel behind them. Women personnel will also be equipped with small body-worn devices, the source said.

“Several inputs have been received that protesters this time will try to defame police personnel by putting their women protesters in front. As a counter, police have also decided to deploy all women police personnel, equipped with small body-worn devices,” the source said.

‘One point, one unit’

In a communication circulated to districts and units, including the Delhi Police Academy (DAP) and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), officers and staff have been assigned law-and-order duties in the New Delhi district in connection with the CJP protest and demonstrations planned by other organisations at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere in the district.

A senior officer said the revised deployment plan was intended to address two shortcomings identified during the previous agitation: underestimating the number of protesters and deploying personnel from different units and districts at the same location.

“We made two mistakes last time. First, we failed to assess the number of protesters, and second, we deployed different units and districts at the same place. This time, we have decided to assign one specific point to one unit or district,” the officer said.

Heads of the concerned districts, units and battalions have been directed to nominate liaison officers and supporting staff to coordinate with deployment officers at designated assembly points. Personnel have been instructed to report on time and comply strictly with deployment orders.

The arrangements form part of an extensive security plan for Saturday's demonstrations, with police seeking to prevent protesters from converging on Jantar Mantar and other sensitive locations in central Delhi.