Delhi Police's top brass will hold a high-level meeting at the police headquarters on Thursday to finalise security and traffic arrangements at Connaught Place after Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke called on “patriots” to gather at Central Park with the national flag on Friday, October 16.
The meeting, to be chaired by Delhi Police commissioner Anurag Kumar, comes amid concerns over a possible escalation of protests in the national capital against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. With prohibitory orders in force across the New Delhi area, police are preparing for a potential mass gathering at Connaught Place, a busy commercial hub with multiple entry and exit points.
Top police officers to discuss security, traffic restrictions
Special commissioners of police overseeing law and order in zones I and II, along with officers from the crime branch, special cell, intelligence and traffic units, will attend the meeting. The joint commissioner of police for the New Delhi Range, the deputy commissioner of police for New Delhi district and other concerned officers will also participate, according to three senior police officers familiar with the matter.
The discussions will focus on the scale of security deployment required for the proposed Tiranga march and measures to prevent violations of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which remain in force in the New Delhi area.
“We also need to ensure no mass gathering is allowed anywhere in central Delhi, including Connaught Place and its Central Park,” one of the officers said.
Traffic restrictions and diversions around Connaught Place and other parts of central Delhi will also be on the agenda. A senior officer said the layout of Connaught Place posed a particular challenge compared with Jantar Mantar, which has only three primary access points.
“Unlike Jantar Mantar, which primarily has only three access points, Connaught Place has multiple entry and exit points and it can be accessed from all directions. Whether all access points will be blocked and barricaded will be a key agenda that will be discussed in the meeting. A decision on whether to shut down entry-exit gates of metro stations would also be taken,” the officer said.
CJP founder calls for Tiranga march after members are sent to Tihar
Dipke urged people to assemble at Central Park on Friday with the national flag, alleging that CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka had been “jailed only for unfurling the Tricolour”.
The call came on the day Das and Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail for allegedly violating their peace bonds and trespassing into Jantar Mantar. The site was denotified as a designated protest area on Monday.
On Tuesday, the two CJP members, holding the Tricolour, raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before police personnel took them away. The CJP, along with several other organisations and political parties, has been holding demonstrations demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
Police intelligence officials are gathering inputs on the expected turnout for Friday's proposed march and whether political parties, student groups and civil society activists will join the mobilisation. Officials are also tracking the locations and movements of key CJP members and other individuals expected to lead the gathering.
Security has already been intensified across New Delhi, particularly around Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar.
Delhi Police seeks extension of 273 CAPF companies
Amid concerns over further demonstrations, Delhi Police has requested the Union home ministry to extend the deployment of 273 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the capital until October 20. The request cites the possibility of protests by the CJP and other organisations escalating around Jantar Mantar and the Election Commission of India.
A senior police officer said 200 CAPF companies had already been earmarked for protest-related law and order duties. Anti-riot vehicles have also been stationed in and around Jantar Mantar to respond to both sudden and announced demonstrations.
The additional deployment is intended to help police manage the situation as authorities prepare for possible gatherings at locations beyond designated protest sites.
Connaught Place traders decide to keep establishments open
Meanwhile, traders in Connaught Place have decided to keep their shops, restaurants and offices open on Friday despite the disruption caused by repeated protests.
New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) president Atul Bhargava said commercial activity had suffered significantly, with business falling to around 30-35% of normal levels.
“Our business is badly affected due to the protests. Our business has come down to 30-35%. Traders in CP are fed-up with these protests. We have decided to keep our establishments open on Friday, as keeping them closed is not an option, keeping in mind our own expenses, including rents and salaries of employees,” Bhargava said.
The traders' decision comes as police prepare to tighten security around the commercial hub ahead of the proposed march. Dipke has called on people to gather at Central Park at 5 pm on Friday under the banner of “Lehra Do Tiranga” and has also urged those unable to travel to Delhi to organise Tricolour marches in their respective cities.