Indo-Pak tension escalates: Security tightened in Delhi, government employees' leaves cancelled

New Delhi: Authorities have issued a high alert in Delhi and cancelled all leave for city government employees amid rising tensions with Pakistan and reports of cross-border shelling affecting areas like Jammu.

Precautionary measures were enforced at India Gate, where police asked visitors to vacate and regulated vehicle flow around the war memorial. Public announcements were made, requesting people to clear the area, reported PTI. However, officials clarified that this was routine.

“This is a standard practice to keep the C Hexagon traffic jam-free. Nothing new in it. Anyone can come tomorrow and see it,” said New Delhi Deputy Commissioner Devesh Mahala.

District officials convened meetings with their teams to assess the readiness of health services and disaster response systems in case of an emergency, officials confirmed. “Police will stay alert and will keep active. Night vigil has been intensified. We will deploy extra force in every sensitive area,” a police officer stated.

The services department of the Delhi government issued a late-night order prohibiting its employees from taking leave until further notice. A senior official from the New Delhi district said a review session was conducted to examine the preparedness of the health and disaster response units. In East

Delhi, authorities began evaluating quick response strategies and identifying any shortcomings.

Security across the national capital has been heightened with extra personnel, including paramilitary units, stationed at sensitive locations. Police sources noted that special commissioners from all zones were conducting meetings with deputy commissioners from each of Delhi’s 15 districts.

The security upgrade follows an attempted assault by Pakistan’s military targeting multiple cities, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, and others. The Indian forces successfully thwarted the attack and reportedly destroyed a Pakistani air defence unit in Lahore.

“All DCPs are actively monitoring law and order in their areas. They have already briefed their officers like ACPs and SHOs. DCPs are personally monitoring their area and Delhi Police is ready to deal with any kind of situation,” a police source said. An official said that additional security checks were being carried out at public places like malls, metro stations, airports, markets, hotels, and residential areas.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania shared details of a security review conducted at Mayur Vihar Phase-1 Metro Station.

“As part of ongoing anti-terror measures, the police conducted a thorough security inspection at the Mayur Vihar Phase-1 Metro Station, a vital public installation. During the visit, CISF personnel were briefed, and a focused coordination meeting was held,” he said.

“The station is secured with 41 operational CCTV cameras monitoring every critical point. In each shift, 7 male and 2 female CISF personnel remain deployed to ensure robust, round-the-clock security. This will ensure the safety of the commuters,” he added. Bomb Disposal Squads also performed anti-sabotage inspections across various sites in the city.

“The district's BDS team conducted anti-sabotage checks at malls, markets, hotels and vital spots to ensure public safety throughout the district. The exercise strengthened vigilance and preparedness against potential threats,” said DCP (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary. Entry points to the city are also under strict surveillance, with increased police presence and vehicle checks at the borders of Delhi.