Delhi Police beefs up security on Diwali, increases vigil against cracker bursting

New Delhi: Delhi Police keeps a strict vigil against the use of firecrackers in the city and has been on high alert following intelligence inputs.

A total of 377 teams of Delhi Police and government officials have been deployed on ground to ensure blanket ban on sale and purchase of fire crackers in the city on Diwali.

"Legal actions will be taken against those caught bursting crackers during the festival," a senior police officer told PTI.

Police will also be deployed in civil dress seeing that the ban on crackers is followed.

On October 14, the Delhi government imposed a ban on production, storage, sale and use of firecrackers across the city, effective till January 1.

Meanwhile, the city has also been on a high alert since October 20 when a blast ripped through a wall of CRPF school in Rohini's Prashant Vihar area.

The blast hurt no one but damaged hoardings of nearby shops and window panes of parked vehicles.

Police will be deployed in markets which see considerable rush on Diwali such as Chandni Chowk, Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Greater Kailash, Azadpur and Ghazipur.

"Security arrangements have been made especially in markets, malls, vital installations and crowded places. Police visibility has been enhanced through intensified patrolling and deployments of extra pickets. All staff are on high alert to thwart any untoward incident," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Apoorva Gupta said.

North District DCP Raja Banthia said, "All preventive measures are being taken by police staff to ensure smooth festival celebrations." Police are also keeping an eye on the movements in border areas.

A tight vigil is being kept on each railway and metro station and additional force deployment has also been made to check any suspicious activities, another officer said. Patrolling teams consisting of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have been directed to immediately inform their seniors if they see any suspicious activities, the officer said.

"Anti-sabotage checks are being conducted regularly along the railway tracks, markets with the help of dog squads and bomb disposal teams," the person said.

"CCTV cameras are being continuously monitored by the teams and PCRs were asked to be ready for any situation," the officer added.

New Delhi DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla said the teams are fully prepared to deal with any kind of situation and have undergone many mock drills.