Delhi underground

Tee trouble
A stolen T-shirt landed a burglar in jail last week. The Delhi Police arrested four thieves for “high profile burglaries” in Pandara Road area,which is home to several senior bureaucrats. One of the thieves was spotted by a senior bureaucrat roaming near India Gate. While the official could not identify the accused,he told the investigating officers that the tee which the accused was wearing was stolen from him. The police picked up the person pointed out by the bureaucrat and interrogated him,after which another thief and a receiver were arrested. It seems the thief,identified as Veer Bahadur,loved the t-shirt he had flicked from the bureaucrat’s house and decided to keep it for himself.

Rob the robber
The Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested “most wanted” car thief Manoj Bakkarwala last week. The thief,who bought a house in Solanpur with the money he made by selling hundreds of stolen cars,was shocked after thieves robbed his house. “Bakkarwala ke yahan bhi chori hoti hai,” said Commissioner of Police Y S Dadwal at a press conference.

Problem of plenty
Already top heavy with a series of promotions,the Delhi Police now has an added burden of two joint-commissioner level officers who have been transferred back from the Delhi government. Former DG (Home),M S Upadhaya,and anti-corruption branch head,N Dilip Kumar,who were recently promoted from the rank of additional commissioner to that of joint commissioner were unceremoniously sent back to the Delhi Police. Commissioner Y S Dadwal is now wondering about on which post to accommodate the two. More than a week after their return to the parent organisation,both officers are awaiting posting. 

A leaf from past
In his first meeting with the Central Zoo Authority,Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh asked the zoo for an overhaul. The reason,according to Ramesh,dates back to 1988 when he took his son to the Delhi Zoo and saw someone throwing a plastic bag inside the zebra enclosure. Not a minister then,Ramesh had complained to the authorities,but no action was taken. The zebra died soon after,Ramesh recounted. The incident left a deep impact on Ramesh and his son. The Minister now says he will make sure “it never happens again”. 

Place that mustn’t be named
Witnessing an argument between an auto-rickshaw driver and a potential customer made a complete mockery of the system outside the New Delhi railway station. The driver lost his cool when the customer said he wanted to go to Pakistan. Meanwhile,the word ‘Pakistan’ attracted a police constable,even as the passenger,equally angry by now,said he was only joking. Minutes later,the policeman took the driver and the customer aside separately and asked for Rs 20 from each,later making them come to a compromise by shaking hands.  

Wrong cover
An alumnus of the Delhi University,Shah Rukh Khan,successfully played an armyman-turned-college student in the film Main Hoon Na with aplomb. But recently,the Delhi Police posted some middle-aged personnel in Delhi University to keep a check on ragging. Dressed as college students,they patrolled the corridors and sat on bikes in parking lots trying to look as student-like and chilled out as possible. But with their potbellies and balding heads,they fooled no one as the genuine students kept their distance.

Bhai is here
Does crime have a glamour quotient? It seems so as on July 10,the Patiala House Courts Complex drew more than curious glances as policemen patrolled the area with sub-machine guns. The lock-ups were cordoned off and the media was denied entry. The arrangements were enough to arouse curiosity,which was only heightened by the roster posted outside one of the courts. The listing read: “State Vs Abu Salem alias Abu Bhai alias Abu Salem Ansari.” As the case was called,the underworld don made an appearance sporting a red T-shirt. Though the proceedings did not lead to anything worth writing about,the spotlight firmly stayed on the don with lawyers and journalists dropping in merely to catch a glimpse of Salem.