Delhi Police has sounded a red alert in the national capital on Monday anticipating trouble by the Dera Sacha Sauda supporters as the Special CBI court in Panchkula will declare the quantum of punishment to the Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Monday. To avert any law and order situation in the city, Delhi Police Special Cell (an anti-terror unit) has prepared a list of 4,000 supporters who can pose problem.
Madhur Verma, Delhi Police’s Public Relations Officer, said additional forces have been deployed in sensitive areas and senior officers are keeping a tight vigil. Extra measures like deployment of Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams and reserve forces were taken. Flag marches were conducted in some areas, including northeast Delhi, police said.
“All the Dera supporters have been put under surveillance and their activities are being monitored as we have their names and addresses. A close watch is being maintained and adequate measures have been put into place to avert any unpleasant incident,” a top Delhi Police officer said.
When asked about precautionary measures taken by Delhi Police to maintain sanity in the city, Special Commissioner of Police (law & Order) North Zone, SBK Singh said that force will remain alert not only on Monday but in the days to come. "Adequate measures including imposition Section 144 of CrPC will remain in force across the city and round the clock patrolling is being carried out to keep an eye on anti-social elements", the Special CP added.
Heavy police presence has been sanctioned in areas of East and Outer Delhi where incidents of buses being torched were reported on Friday when Ram Rahim was convicted of rape charges by Special CBI judge in Panchkula.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in 11 of 13 police districts, barring North and Central Delhi, in the city to prevent gathering of miscreants. Meanwhile, Section 144 imposed by the Delhi Police in 11 districts is still in place. All senior police officers, including the DCP, Joint CP, have been asked to keep an eye on the law and order in their districts.
Police sources on Sunday said that close to 55,000 personnel will man the city on Monday. Out of the total 55,000 personnel who will keep vigil in the city, 50,000 will be from the Delhi Police while the 5,000 personnel will be from paramilitary forces.
Cases of torching of DTC buses and train coaches were reported from different parts of the city on Friday, following the conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a rape case, by a Special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula. To ensure that no untoward incident happens in Delhi like the ones where buses were torched on Friday, Delhi Police has made special arrangements.
Taking cue from the arrangement made on Friday, police personnel from Sunday have been keeping eyes on the borders and strict checking will be take place for the entry and exit of vehicles.
Special arrangements have been made in the areas such as Ghaziabad, Noida, Vivek Vihar, Anand Vihar, Ghazipur, New Ashok Nagar and Vasundhara.
Areas bordering Haryana such as Alipur, Kapashera, Singhu border and Auchandi Border are under vigil.
Senior police officers said that taking cue from the case in Jyoti Nagar where 10 people were arrested for setting a bus on fire, police had registered a case under stringent Sections of the law such as attempt to murder.
Similarly, places in East Delhi where Dera chief has his satsang bhawan are under police radar. Supporters have been asked to keep away from the bhawans at Azadpur, Begumpur and Kanjhawala.
On Friday, Dera Chief Ram Rahim Singh supporters led to violent protest in Panchkula, Chandigarh and other areas which were also felt in parts of the national Capital. While 12 calls related to fire were received by the Delhi Fire Service, five people were arrested in connection with torching DTC buses in different parts of Delhi.