New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) As India celebrates the festival of colours with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm, police in the national capital are on their toes to prevent any untoward incident and have raised a high alert in the city.
"During Holi, the footfall is high in the markets, temples, and commercial places. On such occasions, Delhi Police raises its alert. We increase our visibility, presence to counter any threat," a top official told IANS.
Also known as the festival of colours, Holi is widely celebrated signifying the triumph of good over evil. The eve of the festival is known as 'Holika Dahan (burning of demon holika)' or Chhoti Holi.
According to the police official, community policing like 'Eyes and Ears' have been activated so that locals inform the police personnel about any anti-social element in their area.
Strict security arrangements are in place in view the ongoing celebrations. "The safety of the people is our topmost priority. The police personnel have been deployed on roads & streets to intensify patrolling & checking at pickets for area dominance," the official said.
Police personnel will be seen, throughout the day and night, patrolling in all areas of the city. "Threat or no threat, we have to be always ready," another official told IANS.
Heavy presence of police could be seen in the sensitive areas of the capital to prevent any kind of hooliganism that is often done by the miscreants under the garb of the celebration.
"Safety of the women is our topmost priority," said the official.
Meanwhile, Delhi Traffic Police had earlier said that it has made adequate security arrangements for the festival to keep a tab on hooligans and drunken driving.
Joint Commissioner (Traffic) Vivek Kishore said the traffic police personnel will be deployed at all major roads and intersections. "We request you all to follow traffic rules during the Holi celebrations. Do not indulge in drunken driving and triple riding on two wheelers and riding without a helmet," he said in a video message.
An official spokesperson said the affected people or their relatives could call from within Punjab on helpline number 1100 and others from outside India on +91-172-4111905 for seeking information in this regard.
Amid crisis related to wearing of hijab in classrooms, an Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh girl was asked to remove her turban in the reputed Mount Carmel PU College here in accordance with the February 10 High Court's interim order. Some parents of the college also complained of being targeted after their daughters were asked to remove the hijab.
The brother-in-law of SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, Majithia, who was sent to the Ropar jail during his judicial custody, applied for regular bail and his bail plea will come up for hearing on Friday.
He also sensitised the Russian President about India's concerns regarding the safety of the Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students, and conveyed that India attaches the highest priority to their safe exit and return to India.
India has deployed Dreamliner B-787 aircraft for carrying out this special operation under which flights were made operational from Kharkiv in Ukraine to New Delhi.
