Security arrangements have been tightened across parts of central Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, with multi-layered barricading, Rapid Action Force (RAF) deployment and restrictions on metro services in place.
Heavy security deployments were witnessed around Mandi House and Firoz Shah Road to maintain law and order and prevent unauthorised gatherings.
Delhi Police personnel on duty have been equipped with uniform-mounted body cameras capable of recording footage in low-light conditions. According to ANI, the measure is intended to ensure transparency and prevent confrontations during the demonstration.
“These body cams are to protect us and others. In situations of manhandling, allegations are levelled against Delhi Police. So, these body cams will prove whether we did anything to anyone or not. This will record everything,” an on-duty police official told ANI.
Alongside central paramilitary units, Delhi Police has deployed its specialised all-women ‘Pink Force’ in key areas. Officials said the unit had been positioned following recent incidents of alleged misbehaviour towards women police personnel during large demonstrations, ANI reported.
More than 35,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the national capital ahead of the protest, according to ANI. The heightened security comes amid a directive from the Union Home Secretary to states and Union Territories to maintain law and order.
As a precautionary measure, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has closed entry and exit gates at select metro stations in central Delhi. Commuters have been advised to use alternative routes amid the restrictions, ANI reported.
Delhi Police has instructed its teams to detain anyone attempting to stage a protest, regardless of the location, according to ANI. Police have also directed Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) units not to issue weapons for deployment related to the demonstration. Letters have reportedly been sent to the concerned directorates regarding the allocation plan.
Unlike the deployment during the INDIA bloc protest, police teams have now been authorised to carry lathis and batons, ANI reported. In view of what officials described as deliberate attempts to record and circulate videos portraying police personnel negatively, teams have been instructed to avoid verbal confrontations with protesters.
