Security tightened across Capital ahead of I-Day
Ahead of Independence Day, security has been stepped up across the national capital, with Delhi Police intensifying patrolling, vehicle checks and surveillance to prevent any unlikely incident during the August 15 celebrations.
Delhi Police has conducted a special ‘general gasht’ - a coordinated night-patrolling exercise - across the capital and its 15 police districts as part of the security arrangements ahead of Independence Day, with maximum personnel deployed on roads and at strategic locations, officials said on Wednesday.
The three-hour exercise was conducted from 11 pm to 2 am on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday, with senior officers supervising security arrangements and checking the preparedness of personnel deployed at various pickets. The exercise was aimed at preventing criminal activities, maintaining law and order and ensuring that streets remained safe and sanitised ahead of August 15 celebrations, a senior police officer said.
Police personnel across districts have been deployed on the streets, while additional pickets and checkpoints have been established at several locations. Officers said the focus is on identifying suspicious persons and vehicles, keeping a close watch on criminal elements and ensuring heightened security with Independence Day in sight.
Police teams conducted checking of cars, suspicious vehicles and persons, while special attention was paid to traffic violations such as riding without helmets and triple riding, he said.
“Malls, abandoned vehicles and parking lots were checked, while border pickets were strengthened with maximum staff on duty,” another officer said.
Personnel assigned specific duties for Independence Day arrangements were exempted from the patrolling exercise, the officer said.
Hotels and other establishments were also checked as part of the exercise, along with sensitive locations, important installations, vulnerable areas and strategic points, he said.
An officer from the west district said bike and foot patrolling was intensified, with PCR vans and traffic police personnel deployed to strengthen the security grid and facilitate quick response to any incident.
The objective was to enhance the visibility of police personnel on the streets and deter anti-social elements from carrying out any activity that could create a law and order situation, the officer said. Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar visited multiple police pickets across the city to review the preparedness and assess the security arrangements ahead of Independence Day.
During the ‘general gasht’, the Delhi Police has taken action against 25,209 people on various sections of the BNSS and DP Act.
The ‘general gasht’ was part of the broader multi-layered security arrangements implemented across Delhi ahead of August 15.
The multi-layered arrangements involve local police, traffic personnel and other security teams working together at checkpoints and sensitive locations. Border areas and major entry and exit points are also being closely monitored as part of the security exercise.
