60,000 security personnel to turn Delhi into a fortress

Approximately 20,000 security personnel of Home Guards have also been asked from the neighbouring UP, Rajasthan and Haryana for the election duty.
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Security personnel have been deployed in large numbers at every nook and corner of the national capital in the wake of a high-stake electoral battle for the Municipal Corporation, turning Delhi into an impregnable fortress.

A total of 40,000 personnel of Delhi Police will be deployed across the city on the election day on December 4. Approximately 20,000 security personnel of Home Guards have also been asked from the neighbouring UP, Rajasthan and Haryana for the election duty.

“We have done complete analysis of all the booths in the city and we will have more deployment at those booths which are critical and come under communally sensitive areas,” a senior Delhi Police official told The New Indian Express.

Notably, more than 13,000 polling booths have been set up across the city for over 1.45 Crore people to exercise their franchise. Of these 13,000, the election commission has marked 3000 polling booths among the critical category.

“We are fully prepared to deal with any untoward situation,” the official said. A total of 108 companies of Central Armed Police Force and State Armed Police will also be deployed so that the election process passes off peacefully.

He said the focus will be on polling booths which had a history of violence during the elections. “We have strengthened the area security plan in those sensitive areas. We will monitor those areas with the help of drones,” the official said. It was learnt that every district has been given 5-6 drones for surveillance in the areas where there is large gathering of people.

The official said the police have made stringent security arrangements in Delhi to counter any threat.”On such occasions, Delhi Police raises its alert. We increase our visibility, presence, and checking to counter any threat,” said the official.

He informed that the Delhi Police had already activated its community policing like ‘Eyes and Ears’ so that locals inform the police personnel about any anti-social element in their respective areas. As there is complete prohibition on the sale of liquor due to the civic polls for three days, it has been usually seen that some people are tempted, which gives miscreants a chance to cross borders and illegally supply the liquor. “We are keeping a close watch on the supply of liquor and drugs especially on the voting day,” the officer said.

Inter-state illegal firearms syndicate busted in Delhi
The Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted an interstate illegal firearms syndicate in the national capital and arrested one of its key members who was booked under stringent sections of the Arms act having provision of a minimum sentence of 10 years.

The accused, identified as Setha Bhagel (40), a resident of Morena, Madhya Pradesh, has
already supplied more than 400 firearms in Delhi-NCR during the last 5 years. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) PS Kushwah said in view of forthcoming MCD elections in Delhi, the police had already increased surveillance on the firearms suppliers of Madhya Pradesh who were found to be indulged in sending arms and ammunition to the Delhi-NCR area.

“Specific information was received that Setha Bhagel, a member of an arms syndicate would come near DDA Park, Mayur Vihar on December 1, and accordingly, a trap was laid there and the accused Setha Bhagel having a bag in his possession was apprehended,” the DCP said.

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