Following a spate of crime, Delhi Police cracks down

In addition to the arrested criminals, nearly 4,500 people were also put under preventive arrests for trying to disturb law and order, openly drinking, and gambling

In the wake of the recent series of serious crimes in the Capital, including robberies and murders, the Delhi Police carried out a week-long special night drive called “check and detect” and arrested nearly 630 alleged criminals, including 156 robbers, snatchers, and burglars, and recovered 40 stolen vehicles, 80 phones, and 23 firearms, apart from ₹9 lakh, among other things, the Delhi Police said on Sunday.

The crackdown against criminals was carried out during the night and was led by senior police officers. (HT Photo)

In addition to the arrested criminals, nearly 4,500 people were also put under preventive arrests for trying to disturb law and order, openly drinking, and gambling.

A total of 8,257 vehicles were confiscated at police pickets after the drivers and riders of the said vehicles failed to produce valid documents, police added on Sunday.

The crackdown against criminals, including those habitual and registered as bad characters at police stations in the city, was carried out during the night and was led by senior police officers, including deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) of the 15 police districts.

The additional and joint commissioners of police of the six ranges and special commissioner of police (law and order of zones 1 and 2) also carried out surprise checks to examine the effectiveness of the special drive, issue warnings to personnel found at fault, and take administrative action against some of them.

Some of these crimes included the double murder of two sisters in the RK Puram area, two people being fired at while travelling in a car near CR Park in south Delhi, armed robbery inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel, and the stabbing of a 19-year-old Delhi University (DU) student in front of his girlfriend by a group of people outside Aryabhatta College at South Campus.

“We carried out the drive to instill fear of the law among criminals and anti-social elements. At the same time, it was also an effort to establish trust and faith among the citizens of Delhi. Such crackdowns on criminals would continue,” said special commissioner of police (CP) (law and order, Zone 1) Dependra Pathak.

According to the data shared by the Delhi Police, a total of 60 robbers and 70 snatchers were arrested during the special drive that started on the night of June 26 and concluded on the intervening night of July 1 and 2. Apart from ₹63,140, police seized 17 two-wheelers, 49 mobile phones, five knives, and one country-made pistol, among other stolen items. “The arrested people were wanted in such street crimes by different police stations,” said special CP (law and order, Zone 2), Sagar Preet Hooda.

Apart from the robbers and snatchers, police also arrested 73 people with 22 firearms, 28 cartridges, and 60 knives, while 174 people were arrested and booked for gambling. A total of ₹6.14 lakh was recovered from the arrested people booked in 63 gambling cases.

The teams also arrested 26 burglars, apprehended three minors, and solved 36 cases of burglary and theft apart from recovering over ₹1.18 lakh and several stolen items in this regard, said additional commissioner of police (western range) Chinmoy Biswal, and added that three illegal scrapping yards used for dismantling stolen vehicles were also busted during the drive.

“We emphasised on foot patrolling in crime-prone areas and checking of vehicles at police pickets. The officers of all ranks – from ACPs to inspectors and below – were given different tasks while at least one DCP supervised the entire drive. We also took feedback from public representatives such as resident and market welfare associations for better coordination,” said DCP (southwest) Manoj C.