The Ramdev effect: Jantar Mantar under CCTV watch

The 27 new cameras will have pan tilt zoom facilities and will cover all areas of Jantar Mantar and some stretches of Parliament Street. With the monsoon session of Parliament approaching,the Delhi Police expects a surge in applications for protests at Jantar Mantar.

“We do not want to depend on any outside agency to get the footage and other details when a protest takes place. We have refurbished all CCTV cameras at Jantar Mantar,and they will cover the area from all angles,” said B K Gupta,Commissioner of Police.

The June 5 standoff between police and supporters of Baba Ramdev had taken an ugly turn,leaving more than 70 people injured,including policemen. The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognizance and asked Delhi Police to explain its stand on the crackdown. In an affidavit filed last week,police defended their action and also produced unedited videotapes from several TV news channels as proof that they did not use force against the protesters.

Though the incident had taken place at Ramlila Grounds,police decided to increase vigil at Jantar Mantar as almost all protests are held here. In April this year,hundreds gathered at Jantar Mantar when civil rights activist Anna Hazare sat on a fast-unto-death to demand drafting of the Lokpal Bill.

“We will also make the organisers of such protests sign an undertaking that will prohibit them from carrying objects like lathis or bats,” a senior police officer said.

The feed from these cameras will be stored at the command centre in Parliament Street police station. “The footage from these cameras will be stored for future use as well,” said K C Dwivedi,Additional CP (New Delhi).