Gurugram orders tenant checks after Red Fort blast alert

Officials cite a district magistrate order in force till Jan 2026 as the basis for collecting tenant records across PGs, societies and private rentals.

The Gurugram Police has directed housing societies, landlords, and paying guest (PG) accommodations to submit details of residents from Jammu and Kashmir and foreign nationals living in the district, days after a car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort prompted heightened security in the National Capital Region (NCR). Police said the exercise, applicable to all tenants district-wide, is part of a security verification drive ahead of New Year and Republic Day celebrations.

The drive follows a directive under BNSS Section 163 requiring landlords to keep registers with copies of tenant IDs for security checks. (PTI)

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Vishnu Prasad confirmed that the drive is being conducted under directions from the district administration. “We have been instructed to do this,” Prasad said. “We are inquiring about who has come from where and for how long they have been staying here. This includes people from Jammu and Kashmir as well as foreigners. It is purely for security purposes and is a routine check.”

The verification follows a November 12 order by district magistrate Ajay Kumar under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, directing all guest houses, PGs, hotels, and house owners to maintain detailed registers of tenants and visitors, along with photocopies of their identity proofs. The order remains in effect till January 31, 2026.

However, some residents have criticised the move as selective and reactionary. “This kind of order might create unnecessary suspicion towards people from certain regions,” said Sana Khan, a resident of Sector 56. “We all want security, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of profiling an entire community.”

Rohit Bansal, a Sector 83 resident, echoed the concern, calling the verification “reactionary.” “These checks happen every time there’s an incident in Delhi. The police suddenly show up, collect names, then disappear. It creates fear but rarely brings visible security improvement,” he said.

Defending the measure, district magistrate Ajay Kumar said, “This is a precautionary step, not a profiling exercise. Gurugram is a cosmopolitan city, and our intent is only to ensure safety for everyone through structured verification.”

Police officials added that the drive includes PG accommodations and foreign students staying in private apartments. “Residents are urged to cooperate,” said Prasad. “The idea is to build a security net that prevents potential misuse of rented premises.”

The verification comes amid increased surveillance across NCR following the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s crackdown on a suspected interstate terror network. While residents acknowledged the need for vigilance, they urged transparency. “Security is everyone’s concern,” Khan said. “But it must never divide the city it seeks to protect.”