Police step up border checks, detain leaders

Police across Delhi-NCR have stepped up security at interstate borders and placed several political and civil leaders in preventive detention, amid announcements by civil groups and farmer unions to heed the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP’s) call for a “Chalo Delhi” march on October 10 to protest for electoral reforms, including the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

Police across Delhi-NCR have stepped up security at interstate borders and placed several political and civil leaders in preventive detention, amid announcements by civil groups and farmer unions to heed the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP’s) call for a “Chalo Delhi” march on October 10 to protest for electoral reforms, including the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Delhi Police said it is coordinating with the police of neighbouring states. (Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times)

Delhi Police said they have put in place a two-tier barricading system at the at least four border points shared with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, to prevent protesters from entering the city. Security has especially been heightened at the Chilla, Ghazipur, Apsara and Singhu borders—shared with Uttar Pradesh—after the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) extended its support to the protest.

“Paramilitary personnel and local police have already been deployed at the borders, while Uttar Pradesh Police have also stationed personnel at key junctions on their side of the border to prevent protesters from entering the Capital,” a senior Delhi Police officer said, seeking anonymity.

The Ghaziabad police, in view of the developments, have placed several leaders in preventive custody until Sunday evening, officers said. Those in custody include Faizal Hussain, the district president of the Samajwadi Party, and Arjun Sharma, a Ghaziabad-based student and the activist who raised concerns about irregularities in the CBSE’s On-Screen Marking System.

Sharma said, “They (police) made a video call and asked me to come home. Now, they have asked me not to move out of the house till Sunday evening and have also taken a written undertaking that I will not move out of my house; else, they may detain my parents. They are resorting to pressure tactics.”

Rijul, deputy commissioner of police, Trans-Hindon Zone, told HT on Friday: “About 250 personnel are deployed at the UP Gate, and about 100-150 personnel have been deployed at each of the other border points with Delhi. Some house detentions have also been made, but the numbers cannot be disclosed. We are in touch and coordinating with the Delhi police at the SHO, ACP, and DCP level.”

The Delhi Police said it is coordinating with the police of neighbouring states. “We are monitoring movement towards Delhi and will take appropriate action depending on the situation. UP and Haryana Police will alert us,” the Delhi Police officer cited above said.

The police in neighbouring Gautam Budh Nagar, in an order on Friday, has placed a slew of restrictions on protests, public gatherings and processions in Noida and Greater Noida until October 20 under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The order, a copy of which was accessed by HT, states that “no person shall organise or participate in a public gathering without prior permission” from the police commissioner, additional police commissioners or deputy police commissioners. The restrictions also cover the display of weapons in public places, loudspeaker use at religious sites and public events, and the circulation of rumours or misleading information through print, electronic or social media that could disturb public peace.

Officials in Gurugram said they have tightened up security at borders with barbed wire-fitted barricades to block protester movement. At least 200 personnel have been deployed at six border check posts, on Dwarka Expressway, Old Delhi-Gurugram Road, Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, MG Road and Gwal Pahadi-Mandi road

To be sure, Haryana shares borderswith Delhi, in Faridabad, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Sonepat.

Sandeep Turan, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said that no one was being detained but commuters are being made aware that the protest in Delhi was unauthorised. “Senior officials are continuously monitoring the deployments at border and are also in touch with Delhi counterparts,” he said.

Posters were also put up along all Gurugram roads leading to Delhi borders, warning those planning to join the protest to refrain from doing so, as prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS have been invoked in central Delhi.