NEW DELHI: With the farmer groups arriving at Shambhu border in Haryana and police having to resort to firing tear gas shells to stop them from marching onward, the cops expected major action on Wednesday at the sealed Singhu border.
While special rubber bullets will be used to rein in unruly protesters, police have gallons of lubricants ready to make the slope there slippery for the agitators.The cops will also fly drones several kilometres deep into Haryana to monitor movement, sources said. Temporary holding facilities have been put up to hold detained protesters. Internet access is likely to be shut around the Singhu and Tikri borders if the gathering becomes unruly.
Special control rooms have been set up to prevent gaps in communication. Senior officers said that many measures have been taken after the ‘learning experiences’ of the previous protest in 2020-21 besides intelligence inputs.
“Last year, the protesters broke through the empty containers and entered Delhi using tractors. This time, the containers are filled with materials weighing 3,000-4,000kg, making them more difficult to remove. In addition, sandbags will also be placed on the containers,” said an officer at Tikri border. The security layers will also include damaged buses as road barriers.
Contingency plans include modified barb wire fences if the security layers are breached. “These can be hastily installed at any place if the protesters break the layers and attempt to enter Delhi,” the officer added.
Regarding temporary jails, an officer said, “Following Delhi govt’s rejection of a request to convert Bawana stadium into a makeshift jail, senior officers discussed alternative options on Tuesday afternoon. A few locations have been finalised as holding facilities.”
Mobile control room vans have been strategically positioned and around 40 personnel have been posted. “They include call takers and dispatchers. In case of any hacking incident or breakdown of communication at the main control room, these vans will play a major role,” the source stated.
Meanwhile, practice drills related to various formations for different scenarios are going on. “We are prepared for any untoward incident, and with our past experience, we have in mind different formations that can be used if the protesters change their modus operandi for entering the city,” the source added.
All three borders have been covered in concertina wires, iron barriers, jersey barricades, containers and tyre killers. Police have cemented jersey barricades at the bordering areas, rendering them immovable. Additionally, containers, cranes, and buses have been strategically placed within the city to facilitate contingency plans in case of protesters’ entry. Personnel deployment could see an increase of around 25,000 by early Wednesday and more stringent curbs could be put in place.
Inside Delhi, the cops stepped up deployment at critical establishments, including Red Fort, which has been enveloped in security given the previous protest’s experience. Special barricades up to 10 ft high are also being used inside the city.
While special rubber bullets will be used to rein in unruly protesters, police have gallons of lubricants ready to make the slope there slippery for the agitators.The cops will also fly drones several kilometres deep into Haryana to monitor movement, sources said. Temporary holding facilities have been put up to hold detained protesters. Internet access is likely to be shut around the Singhu and Tikri borders if the gathering becomes unruly.
Special control rooms have been set up to prevent gaps in communication. Senior officers said that many measures have been taken after the ‘learning experiences’ of the previous protest in 2020-21 besides intelligence inputs.
“Last year, the protesters broke through the empty containers and entered Delhi using tractors. This time, the containers are filled with materials weighing 3,000-4,000kg, making them more difficult to remove. In addition, sandbags will also be placed on the containers,” said an officer at Tikri border. The security layers will also include damaged buses as road barriers.
Contingency plans include modified barb wire fences if the security layers are breached. “These can be hastily installed at any place if the protesters break the layers and attempt to enter Delhi,” the officer added.
Regarding temporary jails, an officer said, “Following Delhi govt’s rejection of a request to convert Bawana stadium into a makeshift jail, senior officers discussed alternative options on Tuesday afternoon. A few locations have been finalised as holding facilities.”
Mobile control room vans have been strategically positioned and around 40 personnel have been posted. “They include call takers and dispatchers. In case of any hacking incident or breakdown of communication at the main control room, these vans will play a major role,” the source stated.
Meanwhile, practice drills related to various formations for different scenarios are going on. “We are prepared for any untoward incident, and with our past experience, we have in mind different formations that can be used if the protesters change their modus operandi for entering the city,” the source added.
All three borders have been covered in concertina wires, iron barriers, jersey barricades, containers and tyre killers. Police have cemented jersey barricades at the bordering areas, rendering them immovable. Additionally, containers, cranes, and buses have been strategically placed within the city to facilitate contingency plans in case of protesters’ entry. Personnel deployment could see an increase of around 25,000 by early Wednesday and more stringent curbs could be put in place.
Inside Delhi, the cops stepped up deployment at critical establishments, including Red Fort, which has been enveloped in security given the previous protest’s experience. Special barricades up to 10 ft high are also being used inside the city.
