Bracing for a protest by the Jats, the Delhi Police has been on its toes for the last few days.
Though the agitation was called off ultimately, the police did not consider the elaborate security measures put in place as an effort gone waste.
‘People took note’
“Though the resources weren’t used, the entire practice did not go to waste because it has a symbolic significance. Scores of police officials were deployed across Delhi, which made people take note of their presence. Also, it prepared us for future contingency situations,” said Delhi Police PRO Madhur Verma.
Sources in the police told The Hindu that equipment had especially been procured to handle any situation that may have arisen. As many as 250 video cameras, 30 ambulances, 645 buses, 8 water cannons, 120 CCTV cameras, 350 loud hailers and about 7 drones were in place in case the situation spiralled out of control, said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
“Fortunately, none of it was used,” he added.
The officer, however, agreed that because the entire force was engaged in preventing any possible mishap, regular cases had to take a back seat.
Positive outlook
“Of course, day-to-day crime did not get as much attention Saturday night onwards because all police personnel were busy protecting law and order. But, this is part of our job,” he added.
Taking a reality check
Explaining how the preparedness had benefited the force, DCP (south-west) Surender Kumar said that he and his officials had met the heads of over 36 Jat-dominated villages in the last three days to discuss the protest and try to convince them to not participate in any violence. “We met them, sat with them, listened to their problems and built a bond that we couldn’t in the past,” said DCP Kumar. He also spoke of how the preparations had helped seniors mobilise junior officials and take stock of the situation on the ground. “For instance, I checked if the water cannons were working in my district,” the DCP added.
For the police, the last few days have served as a rehearsal for any emergency situation that may arise. “The exercise told us what must be done, and in how many days we can prepare in case of a situation like this,” said Mr. Verma.
