Independence Day 2021: Rakesh Asthana chairs inter-state coordination meeting to strengthen security

New Delhi, Aug 5: Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Wednesday chaired an inter-state coordination meeting with his counterparts to strengthen security and share terrorism-related intelligence ahead of Independence Day, officials said.

The meeting was attended by top brass from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir, along with senior officers and district DCPs of the Delhi Police who joined through video conferencing.

The additional DGP Meerut (UP), ADG Rohtak (Haryana), CP Noida, CP/Gurgaon, IGP Rewari and DIG Uttarakhand were among officers who joined the meeting at the Delhi Police Headquarters here. Addressing the officers, Asthana said good cooperation between police forces of the country is the key to address all issues.

The Delhi Police chief laid emphasis on intensive drives for preventive measures like tenants' verification, hotels and guest houses checking and anti-terror alertness in order to identify and counter any nefarious designs, and checking at borders to curb the movement of weapons, criminals and drugs into the national capital.

"The objective of the meeting was to share terror-related intelligence and inputs, and take necessary measures in the run up to the Independence Day celebrations and also to deliberate upon plans for bigger coordinated action among states in areas of policing which have implications for national capital," Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said.

The Delhi Police commissioner appreciated the cooperation extended by police in neighbouring states in crime control and action against criminals. "In the long term, this interstate cooperation should be expanded to launch concerted and coordinated action on interstate crimes, particularly gun running and drugs supply which are becoming a huge menace, and cyber offences that defraud a large number of innocent citizens," he said.

The officers exchanged information on anti-social elements taking refuge in NCR and the need to launch concerted drives on tenants' verification and border checking, the police said.

"The need to keep a watchful eye on movement of paragliders, drones and other flying objects from the open areas on the day of function was discussed and it was agreed upon to share advance information about the movement of any suspicious elements. Information sharing on interstate gangs operating in NCR and issues related to supply of illegal arms and narcotics were also discussed," the police statement said.

Traffic restrictions during Independence Day celebrations and steps to check unauthorised intrusion at borders have been planned in advance and officers of bordering states pledged to cooperate for their smooth implementation, the Delhi Police stated.