All-women squads lead anti-bootlegging ops in North Delhi

On Friday, Delhi Police's female officers led searches in at least five slum clusters in north Delhi, as part of a drive to crack down on bootlegging.

Breaking gender barriers within policing, women officers of the Delhi Police on Friday led searches in at least five slum clusters in north Delhi, as part of a drive to crack down on bootlegging, and arrested three persons along with a seizure of over 300 quarters of alcohol.

Image used only for representation.

The development assumes significance, considering that such exercises were hitherto conducted by male officers, with very few women personnel comprising the search party.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said searches were conducted in five subdivisions of Kotwali, Sadar Bazar, Civil Lines, Sarai Rohilla, and Timarpur. Post the searches, cases were registered at three police stations and three persons arrested, along with a seizure of over 300 quarters of alcohol.

A senior police officer said in the first case, inspector Priyanka (single name) from Lahori Gate police station received a tip-off that people were involved in bootlegging in the slums of Kothi Pool Mitha.She along with sub-Inspector Pooja Meena and three male personnel reached the spot and conducted a search. They found a woman Runa Devi (35) selling liquor outside her jhuggi. The woman was arrested, and 205 quarters were recovered from her. A case under the Excise Act was registered against her, police said.

The case at Subzi Mandi police station was registered after constable Manju spotted a woman carrying a white gunny bag, while patrolling the Madrasi Colony near Mori Gate, the officer said. The woman, identified as Laxmi (33), was stopped and searched, and 50 quarter bottles were recovered from the bag, police said.

In Wazirabad, sub-inspector Ranjana and constable Savita led a patrolling party comprising male beat personnel and found a woman, identified as Bharti (25), carrying a bag containing 48 quarters of illicit liquor. She was arrested and a case registered, police said.

Speaking to HT, inspector Priyanka and sub-inspector Ranjana said these searches and seizures were not about breaking gender barriers but about doing their jobs. However, making an arrest and recovering illicit liquor were a first in their careers, they said.

“I led the team and I don’t believe there’s any job that’s cut out only for men or women. In fact, wherever it’s considered a male-only zone, I make it a point that I go. I have worked on many cases involving drug peddlers and desperate criminals. I hope this makes other women officers also feel at ease about working on such cases,” said Priyanka, who received an out-of-turn promotion in March for arresting two criminals who carried a reward on their arrests. She joined Lahori Gate police station from the Crime Branch two weeks ago.

For Ranjana, anyone who wears a uniform should be capable of working on any case. “For me, it was a first experience to arrest a bootlegger from a slum area but I’ll keep visiting these areas to create awareness among the public,” she said.