Amit Shah reviews Delhi Police's preparedness for protests, law & order

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday reviewed Delhi Police's preparedness to handle large gatherings and other law-and-order readiness at the Police headquarters. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was also present. The meeting came on the heels of a series of protests rocking the national capital -– first against ex-education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET fiasco, then for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who battles allegations of presiding over a fudged Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and deletion of lakhs of voters. The meeting focused on devising a strategy to manage protests without escalation, strengthening intelligence gathering and improving police-public engagement, police sources said.
Sources said the review examined the sequence of events during protests in Delhi over the past five months, the police response, and the measures needed to prevent a repeat of violence, damage to public property, and attempts to breach security barricades. Several groups of protesters have been on a warpath against the Centre for the CEC's resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR. INDIA bloc has announced a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1.
The review also examined how the Delhi Police's operational priorities could be aligned with the government's "zero tolerance" for organised crime and its emphasis on public safety. Sources said the deliberations also come against the backdrop of violent protests in several European capitals, including Paris. Protests and subsequent police restrictions hitting business were discussed in the meeting. Traders have flagged the impact of repeated demonstrations and related traffic curbs on business activity, prompting discussions on ways to address their grievances while maintaining security, sources said.
Shah also reviewed measures to strengthen women's safety, including preventive policing in vulnerable areas and expediting investigations into crimes against women. The meeting lasted over three hours, sources said. Shah last visited the Delhi Police headquarters on August 30, 2022.