A plan for every protest: Inside Delhi Police’s crowd-control machinery

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s streets have seen a steady churn of protests, processions, marches, rallies and strikes this year, keeping police on their toes. Each programme brings its own set of crowd-control, traffic and law-and-order challenges.Data for the first eight months of 2026 shows police handled more dharnas, processions, marches and strikes than during the corresponding period last year. The number of dharnas rose from 1,235 in 2025 to 1,306 this year, while processions increased more sharply, from 1,672 to 1,908. Marches and rallies went up from 273 to 304, and strikes from 207 to 232.Not every category, however, witnessed an increase. Protests and miscellaneous activities declined from 2,172 last year to 2,032 this year. Meetings fell from 1,104 to 914, while demonstrations recorded the sharpest drop, from 808 in 2025 to 279 this year. Cops said the reasons behind these programmes varied, with most linked to political, religious and other issues.Behind every such gathering is a detailed assessment by police. Rules prescribe designated venues according to the expected strength of a gathering: Jantar Mantar for programmes involving up to 1,000 people, Ramlila Maidan for crowds between 1,000 and 50,000, and Burari for gatherings expected to draw more than 50,000 participants.But the process begins well before protesters reach a venue. Police first liaise with organisers to establish the expected turnout, venue, timing and duration of the programme, the presence of prominent attendees and the agenda. These inputs are then used to assess the likely impact on traffic, VVIP movement and the overall law-and-order situation.The decision to permit or reject a demonstration, dharna or public meeting is taken after examining whether it could obstruct traffic, pose a threat to public safety or disturb public tranquillity, police said.For protests at Jantar Mantar, the rules are particularly clear. “No march towards sensitive places from Jantar Mantar is allowed. Organiser(s) shall ensure that the protesters or demonstrators congregate as well as disperse peacefully from the identified spot only,” police said.The planning becomes more elaborate when protesters arrive from outside Delhi. Police coordinate with their counterparts in other states and remain in touch with organisers to gather details about the participants, timing, venue and nature of the programme. Once the inputs are collated, deployment is planned accordingly. Other district police units and traffic police are roped in, while arrangements are made for mobilisation of personnel, detention of protesters in case of law-and-order violations and food and water for the force deployed on the ground.Planned programmes such as marches, dharnas and protests can be challenging, but unplanned gatherings pose a bigger problem for police. Officers regularly monitor social media to check whether any calls for protests have been issued and try to prevent protesters from reaching restricted or sensitive areas. There is also the possibility of a gathering turning violent, in which case legal action is taken, police said.“At every sensitive place, there is deployment of forces and companies are kept nearby as a contingency. If protesters move towards a sensitive area, additional personnel can be mobilised,” an officer said.At the protest site, the job is not limited to managing the crowd. Police keep a close watch to prevent protesters from entering restricted areas or putting themselves or others at risk. Officers also track developments in other states and countries, particularly when there is a possibility of protests outside embassies or state bhavans.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in DelhiStay updated with the latest Delhi news. Download the TOI App.