Police on high alert in Jat-dominated areas

In the wake of Jat agitation in neighbouring state of Haryana, the Delhi police has imposed Section 144 of the Indian Penal code in city districts bordering with Haryana on Sunday.

“The Delhi police will impose CrPC Section 144 in the bordering districts of Delhi and other parts of city, which are likely to have protests in connection with the Jat quota demand,” a Delhi police statement said.

The prohibitory orders will be implemented in five police sub-divisions of Dwarka and Najafgarh in southwest Delhi, Alipur and Bawana in Outer Delhi and Mukherjee Nagar in northwest Delhi, the police said. These five sub-divisions cover over 15 police stations.

“Areas include colonies and villages in southwest, northwest, outer, south, northeast and southeast Delhi. National Highway 1 and Ring Road will also be under Section 144 of the CrPC,” said a police official.

“The localities and areas which are near the border areas of Haryana will be under IPC Section 144 of the CrPC. We have mobilised adequate police personnel in these notified areas to rule out any violence or agitation due to the Jat protest in Haryana,” said a senior police official.

In the first phase of the Jat agitation, violence was witnessed in and around Mukherjee Nagar and Najafgarh areas.

“Adequate arrangements have been made to ensure no law and order issue occurs,” the official added.

In February, the agitating members of the Jat community had held demonstrations in several places across the city, leading to severe disruption of traffic on key arterial roads.

Damage to public property by the protesters, who blocked major state border entry points, including Sindhu border, Nangloi-Bahadurgarh Road, Karnal Road, Tikari, Jharoda and Madhuban Chowk in southwest and outer Delhi, creating major traffic snarls which affected many areas in the city.

Meanwhile, in Ghaziabad, the district police has already made adequate security arrangements to meet any untoward situation during the scheduled protest by the Jats on June 10 and 12 in the city.

Superintendent of police Salman Taj Patil said that one company of Central Reserve Police Force has already been deployed at the Ganga Water Canal in the city as the Jats may attempt to stop water supply to Delhi and other neighbouring districts. “We have already demarcated vulnerable places in the city. We are ready to cope with any crisis situation. Policemen are already deployed at several spots in the city,” the top cop said.

Earlier, during the Jat reservation row, the protesters had blocked major crossings in the city, disrupted railway traffic and led rallies in the city to demand reservation.

However, no act of violence was reported.