Preventing communal riots in Delhi: Six DCPs to present strategies today

On August 30, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the home secretary and other officials visited the Delhi Police headquarters, and a presentation was given by Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora. After seeing the presentation, Shah has asked the Delhi Police to set targets for the next 25 years to ensure that no riots, terror attacks or corruption take place, to ensure better traffic planning, and to focus on fitness among police personnel when India will mark 100 years of Independence.

Following Shah’s visit, Arora is learnt to have made eight teams, comprising two officers each, and assigned them key tasks. On September 5, a message was sent to all assigned officers by the then SO to the police commissioner Romil Baaniya. The topics mentioned in the message include avoiding recurrence of riots till 2047; reducing quantum and incidents of corruption; making Delhi incident-free when it comes to terror; ensuring smooth flow of traffic; and promoting fitness in the force.

Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa had said, “After the meeting with the Home Minister, we have started brainstorming about how to meet the objectives he mentioned during the meeting. Now, the existing mechanisms are being strengthened and (we are) brainstorming on newer ways to improve our working.”

A day before the presentation, an anti-mock drill was conducted at Kushal Cinema Chowk in North West Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. “At 1.41 pm on Thursday, a test PCR call regarding quarrel, stone-pelting and heavy gathering at Kushal Cinema Chowk, was received in a police control room of North West. Accordingly, ACP (Jahangirpuri) and SHO (Jahangirpuri) were informed, who immediately reached the spot with maximum staff of police station within five minutes and initially reported a gathering of around 700 and demanded extra force at the spot to control the mob,” said DCP (North West) Usha Rangnani.

“Immediately, all the ACPs, SHOs were directed from the control room to immediately report with sufficient staff and anti-riot equipment, including gas gun parties. Reserve inspector (North West) was directed to reach with sufficient reserve staff including gas gun parties and vajra vehicles. Within 15 to 20 minutes, the maximum force was swiftly mobilised at the spot. This anti-riot mock drill exercise was conducted successfully,” she said.