Leaves cancelled, 30,000 cops to keep vigil on Jat protesters
ON ALERT Police say agitators will be stopped at borders, warn force will be used if needed
The Delhi Police on Thursday warned that they will not hesitate from using batons, water cannons and even rubber bullets if Jat agitators tried to disrupt life in the national capital next Monday, during their agitation for reservation.
Over 25,000 Delhi Police personnel and 40-50 companies of paramilitary forces will guard the city’s roads and borders from Sunday evening and have been instructed to use “appropriate force” against agitators if they try to disrupt peace.
Leaders of the Jat community had earlier threatened to march into the city with lakhs of supporters on tractors and trolleys on Monday to demand reservation under the OBC quota. The Jats, during their last protest at Jantar Mantar on March 2, had threatened to cut supply of milk, vegetables and other essentials to Delhi and bring the city to a standstill if their demands weren’t met. Police, however, said that no permission had been sought for the protests. “Their leaders have not sought our permission . Even if they do, we won’t grant them permission,” said Madhur Verma, Delhi Police spokesperson, on Thursday.
During a high-level meeting held on Wednesday — that saw attendance of all senior police officer over the rank of SHOs — Delhi Police also decided to cancel the leaves of all its personnel from Monday.
The police are in touch with their counterparts in Haryana to seek their assistance in preventing the Jats from entering Delhi. “If they are not contained in Haryana, they will be stopped at the borders by our personnel. All 20 border points to the city will witness controlled movement of people and vehicles,” said Verma.
Since stopping tractors, trolleys and buses carrying Jat protesters is likely to create traffic snarls on the borders, a large number of traffic personnel will be deployed to handle the situation. “We will not hesitate to use physical force or register FIRs against miscreants,” warned Verma.