‘Nightlife also a way of life’: Haryana DGP urges cops to be citizen-friendly, flags need for specialised officers

“For economic offences, often the complaint is long and understanding the intricacies fully takes time, especially when the person noting it down is a 12th pass, etc. We need more specialised officers to fully grasp and tackle such crimes, and we are working on increasing manpower as well,” he said.

At the same time, the DGP said there is significant misuse of the law as well. “At least 20 per cent of the complaints end up being false – many born out of personal fights between people.” In this context, Gurgaon Police Commissioner Vikas Kumar Arora mentioned the recent case of a lawyer being arrested in connection with allegedly filing false cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for extortion.

DGP Singh stressed that the police should never harass or make it about one-upmanship with their checking and verification powers and exercises, as the same should be specific and reason-based rather than general or random. “If he has four necessary vehicle documents…need not harass over or issue a challan for not having the fifth,” he said.

He also addressed two prevalent causes of accidents in and around Gurgaon. For drunken driving, he said that the police need to acknowledge that nightlife and clubbing are common in a city with a young population, many of whom are single and away from families. “I have always said nightlife is also a way of life. After work, people go to restaurants and clubs, especially in Millennium City and any metropolis that is a centre of investment.”

To prevent drunken driving accidents, he emphasised coordination with establishments on ensuring that patrons book cabs to go home or the designated driver in a group is not served alcohol, as an example.

Arora said the Gurgaon police have served notices to clubs and restaurants under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (police powers to prevent commission of cognisable offences). In the same, bouncers and other staff have been directed to ensure that patrons who have been drinking return by cab and do not drive home.

The other instance he mentioned was of accidents, deaths and stunts by those driving the Mahindra Thar SUV. “It has become a statement now, not just a car. Even the car of one of our ACPs was involved, and he said, give me relief…,” the DGP said.

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