India / Delhi police special cell plant 30 dummy ieds in high footfall areas to check alertness 12 found

To check the preparedness of police departments in the capital, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has installed 30 dummy Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in high footfall locations in the last one month. Out of this, public, private security guards and local police could trace only 12. The decision to plant a dummy IED was taken after Al-Qaeda issued a warning in the Indian subcontinent.

The terrorist organization has threatened to carry out suicide bombings in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat over the controversial statement of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Recently, during a crime review meeting, Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal made a presentation in front of Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana about conducting such fake infiltration exercises.

The public found two IEDs

As reported by the Indian Express, a senior police officer said, “The first batch of 15 dummy IEDs were planted in the districts of Delhi on June 12, and 10 of them were detected. Two out of 10 were traced by the public in Southeast and North districts, three by South, security guards of malls in Rohini and Outer districts and five by local police in North, Northeast, East, North-West and Outer North districts. .'

Dhaliwal also told the police chief that on June 28 again another batch of 15 dummy IEDs were planted in all the districts, but this time 13 could not be traced. The two that were detected were planted in the northern border. An official said, “The IEDs were planted openly by the special cell. In a vase, one near the dustbin in a mall and one outside the gate of Palika Bazar.'

Campaign will run at airport, railway station and metro

After the presentation, Asthana asked Dhaliwal to conduct similar drives at IGI airport, railway and metro stations to check and ensure vigilance of the police. Initially, the Special Cell had decided to conduct such campaign twice a month, but now they are planning to conduct it once every month.

In a letter issued last month by DCP (Special Cell) Pindit Pratap Singh, police personnel should be asked to take into account the controversial statements about Prophet Muhammad, recent violent demonstrations and threats of suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda in India. Instruction should be given to develop intelligence to thwart any terrorist attack/plan. The Special Cell personnel will infiltrate randomly and install dummy IEDs at high numbers of places in each district to check the alertness of the local police personnel.