Delhi CAA protests: How late-night meeting with NSA and top cops set the strategy for Thursday

Speaking about last night’s meeting, a police source said: “He (Doval) discussed the situation with senior officers and asked for their viewpoints. The police chief suggested that a protest march could be allowed, but the NSA referred to a tweet by one of the DCPs which had earlier mentioned that no permission had been granted for the march. So it was decided that only a designated place like Jantar Mantar can be chosen for the protest.”

He is also learnt to have taken a stern view of the “failure” of local intelligence during the first three days of the protest at Jamia, and for “allowing local politicians and anti-social elements to hijack” the students’ protest.

An officer who attended the meeting, which lasted 90 minutes, said it was decided to call all personnel from specialised units, Crime Branch and EOW, and deploy them at sensitive spots with anti-riot gear. Paramilitary force personnel were also called in with advanced gear. “It was also decided to coordinate with police counterparts in neighbouring states, following which border with Haryana was sealed,” the officer said. Following the meeting, DCP (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah wrote a letter dated December 18 to nodal officers of four telecom service providers, asking them to stop mobile internet, voice and SMS services in certain areas.

Sources said after the meeting with the NSA, senior officers held a meeting among themselves at the New Delhi DCP’s office at Parliament Street. This meeting, addressed by Patnaik, ended around 1.15 am. “It was decided that they will allow protesters to gather at Jantar Mantar, but those assembling elsewhere will be detained under CrPC Section 144. It was also decided to approach DMRC to shut some Metro stations,” an officer said.