New Delhi: Keeping a record of buyers and sellers of ammonium nitrate, conducting security audits and tracking radicalised content are among a slew of directions issued by Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena to the city police, days after a blast near the Red Fort claimed 15 lives.
The directions were issued in separate written communications to Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma on November 19.
Ammonium nitrate was one of the explosives used in the November 10 blast, which was carried out by a “suicide bomber”.
The blast came shortly after an interstate “white-collar” terror module was uncovered with the recovery of around 3,000 kg of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, mainly from Faridabad in Haryana.
Saxena asked police to maintain a digital record of entities purchasing and selling ammonium nitrate beyond a certain limit.
“Commissioner Police may revisit the Standing Order of 2022 for licensing of sale, storage and transport of Ammonium Nitrate in exercise of powers conferred under Delhi Police Act, 1978, read with Explosives Act, 1884 and Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012.
“In particular, he has desired that police must maintain a digital record of entities purchasing and selling Ammonium Nitrate beyond a certain threshold, including photographs of buyers and sellers apart from other relevant details,” said the official communication from the LG office to the police chief.
The Standing Order, issued in 2022, laid down rules and procedures related to grant of ammonium nitrate licence and to regulate and control manufacture, conversion, stevedoring and bagging, import, export, transport, possession for the sale or use of the chemical.
Saxena also directed police to hold a consultation exercise with heads of social media platforms, including Meta and X, for a scientific tracking of radicalised content aimed a brainwashing citizens.
“The police commissioner has also been asked to strengthen human and technical intelligence with a focus on vulnerable areas prone to radicalisation. Community outreach and citizen engagement should also be enhanced for more robust preventive policing,” a Raj Niwas official said, citing the communication.
Saxena also directed police to conduct a rigorous security audit of busy markets and ISBTs to track CCTV camera coverage and deployment of security personnel.
“All DCPs be advised to undertake a rigorous security audit of busy markets
and public places with high footfalls, including ISBT, railway stations, cinema halls, parks and metro stations, etc. In particular, the audit should focus on the deployment plan of security personnel, beat roster and existing CCTV network,” the official communication said.
In case there are dark spots where additional CCTV coverage is required, a consolidated reference may be compiled and sent to the chief secretary, it said.
The administration has been asked to create a central data repository, containing records of doctors and para-medical staff engaged by hospitals, especially private facilities, along with details of their medical degrees.
“In cases where medical professionals have secured degrees from foreign countries, information should also be shared with the police department for secondary background checks,” the official said.
It has also been asked to hold a consultation exercise with all digital platforms and financiers engaged in sale and purchase of vehicles, especially second-hand vehicles.
“Clear directions should be given that under no circumstances will vehicles be allowed to ply where actual owner is different from the registered owner. This problem is reportedly most acute in cases of autorickshaws, where the permit holder is different from actual owner,” the official said.
