E-Paper
In times of a pandemic, Delhi Police go mask and glove to nab criminals
On Wednesday, after Delhi Police’s special cell finally managed to nab 32-year-old Bijender alias Gadgu, who was wanted for several crimes — including murder — and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh
On Wednesday, after Delhi Police’s special cell finally managed to nab 32-year-old Bijender alias Gadgu, who was wanted for several crimes — including murder — and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, the first thing they did was give the man a mask and a pair of surgical gloves.
Bijender is a hitman of Karambir alias Kala’s gang, which operates in Delhi-NCR, and is involved in killings over land grabbing, personal enmity and gang rivalry.
On way to the court, Bijender wore the mask and surgical gloves, while armed police officers maintained a radial distance of at least 5-6 feet from the suspect.
The law does not allow policemen to handcuff an arrested person, unless there is a court order. So police personnel usually grab the hands of the arrested suspects to ensure they do not escape.
As the number of police personnel with symptoms of Covid-19 continues to rise, police officers working on the ground have had to adopt different techniques to ensure that they do not catch the virus. The city’s criminals, too, have realised the importance of social distancing and have in some instances asked police not to hold their hands while promising that they will not escape, many police officers said.
The city’s police force — from ensuring social distancing norms are followed to conducting security checks on the roads and the hotspots across the city — have been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 pandemic that is raging in Delhi at the moment. Till Thursday, Delhi had recorded 1,640 Covid-19 positive cases with 38 deaths.
Till Thursday evening, at least seven Delhi police personnel had tested positive for Covid-19, while around 261 others were in home-quarantine. A senior police officer, however, said that the seven cops who had tested positive had not been infected by anyone they had arrested. A police station in Chandni Mahal was also sealed later in the day after two cops tested positive.
A senior police officer said that around 25-30% of police officers in each police station are already on leave. With the crime rates falling, the officers were advised to go on leave but to be prepared to join duty if the numbers continues to increase. With a number of healthcare workers on home quarantine after catching the infection, earlier this week the Delhi government had decided to deploy post-graduate medical students to help the district health authorities. Delhi chief secretary, Vijay Dev had issued an order in this regard.
A crime branch officer, who did not wish to be named, said the city’s criminals seem to have realised the do’s and dont’s related to Covid-19 and request police personnel not to hold their hands. They even ask if the lock-up has been sanitised because police station lockups, usually a single cell, is shared by several people.
“At least three such criminals, who we arrested in the last five days, requested us not to hold their hands. They promised us they will not try to run. We stood in a circle around the suspects, while maintaining a distance of 5-6 feet. One such photograph also went viral on social media later. I was also told that a man arrested for snatching in outer Delhi on Wednesday asked the station in charge if the lock-up had been sanitised,” the officer said.
At places such as Chandi Mahal and Nizamuddin, which have been declared hotspots for Sars-Cov-2 infection, police personnel have also been given Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits. Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said, “Apart from sanitation masks and hand sanitisers, those deployed in containment zones have been given Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits. They also regularly disinfect and sanitise the PPE kits before using it again.”
Sanjeev Yadav, who is the DCP of the special cell, said that apart from social distancing at work, the force are following all guidelines during raids, transporting suspects to courts or jails and while keeping the arrested in the police stations lock-ups.
“The raiding team members wear masks, hand gloves, and use sanitisers before and after they physically nab the suspect. Social distancing is maintained during interrogation as well. The lock-up is properly sanitised before locking the suspect. Following precautionary guidelines is the most important thing to avoid getting infected from Covid-19,” he added
On preparedness in the backdrop of police personnel testing positive for the virus,additional commissioner of police, Mandeep Randhawa, who is the city’s police’s spokesperson said, “We have advised all our personnel to be cautious on duty. All police stations have been provided with masks and surgical gloves. We have managed our resources well. With fewer crimes, around 25-30% of the force are on rest. They can also join anytime if the need arises. Our police commissioner also issued a message for everyone on the field on the ways to ensure social distancing. We have enough police personnel in this fight against Covid-19.”
