Delhi Police is on high alert as several Hindu organizations are scheduled to hold processions on Thursday in Uttam Nagar and Jahangirpuri to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti.
Heavy security forces were deployed in the two areas to maintain law and order, according to a senior police officer.
In Uttam Nagar, the tightened arrangements come in the backdrop of the killing of a 26-year-old man in the area on March 4 after a clash between his family and their neighbors in JJ Colony during Holi celebrations.
The incident sparked tensions in the area, as an angry crowd vandalized vehicles and set some of them on fire, leading to a massive police deployment for a week.
The violence erupted after water splashed from a balloon thrown by a girl from the Tarun family at a woman from the neighboring family. So far, sixteen people, including two minors, have been arrested and arrested.
Delhi Police had earlier carried out an extensive flag march and bike patrolling exercise across the north-west district ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, an officer said.
The officials added that a safety committee meeting was also held in Jahangirpuri to ensure communal harmony ahead of the festival, in view of the 2022 violence in the area during the Hanuman Jayanti procession, when several people, including police personnel, were injured in incidents of stone pelting and arson.
“Surveillance has been strengthened through CCTV cameras, drones and local intelligence inputs. Barricades have been put up at key points, and area domination exercises and flag marches are being carried out to instil confidence among residents,” the police said.
The operation, which covered key areas in the region, with officers having a strong presence on main roads and sensitive enclaves, aimed to strengthen security arrangements and boost public confidence in the period leading up to the festival.
