Face recognition vans, drones deployed to secure Delhi’s Sadar Bazar ahead of Deepavali

With crowds thronging Sadar Bazar for festive shopping ahead of Deepavali, the North District police have stepped up security arrangements, deploying face recognition system vans, drones and additional personnel to prevent crime and manage the rush.

The police also conducted a flag march with paramilitary forces in the wholesale market on Tuesday to reassure shoppers and deter criminal activity. Sadar Bazar, one of Old Delhi’s busiest wholesale markets, witnesses a significant surge in footfall in the days leading up to Deepavali, as traders and customers from across Delhi-NCR and neighbouring States visit to purchase festive goods in bulk. The market is currently bustling with shoppers looking for decorations, lights, firecrackers, clothes, footwear and other festive essentials.

“This flag march was conducted in view of the Deepavali festival and for the security of people coming to the market for shopping. It is also meant to instil confidence among them. We conduct such marches regularly so that shoppers feel assured that they are safe,” said Sonu Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Sadar Bazar.

Delhiite thronging at Sadar Bazar Ahead of Diwali Shopping in New Delhi on November 3, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
Sushil Kumar Verma

Alongside routine patrolling, public announcement systems have been installed at key points in the market to caution shoppers against crowding and gathering at one place. The police have also deployed Facial Recognition System (FRS) vans, including those under the Delhi Police’s Dynamic Real-time Identification and Surveillance for Human Tracking Initiative (DRISHTI) and Ikshana surveillance systems, at major intersections and busy junctions.

The systems scan faces in real time and match them against police databases to identify known offenders, pickpockets and wanted criminals. Police said the deployment is aimed at curbing seasonal offences such as theft, pickpocketing and chain-snatching, which become a concern in the densely packed market during the festive rush.

Police personnel have also been stationed on elevated watchtowers, or machans, along busy market lanes. Equipped with binoculars, officials monitor crowd movement and keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Drone surveillance is also being carried out to monitor congestion and movement across the market.

North District DCP Niharika Bhatt said crowd management remained a priority in busy markets such as Sadar Bazar, particularly during the pre-festival rush. Police personnel are being deployed on the ground round the clock to regulate the movement of shoppers, prevent overcrowding and avert any stampede-like situation.