New Delhi police chief takes charge, faces slew of challenges

Within an hour of taking charge, Golcha held a meeting with senior officers, calling for increased public engagement and robust team work, a senior officer said. The meeting set the tone for Golcha’s first crime review meeting, set to take place on Saturday, the officer added.

On Friday morning, Golcha was received at the Delhi Police headquarters by senior officers after his ceremonial welcome. At 10 am, he took over from Singh. In the afternoon, he also met Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her office.

Here are the five key challenges he faces:

Street crime: Incidents of chain and cellphone snatching continue to surge across Delhi. Earlier this month, the gold chain of a woman MP was stolen while she was on her morning walk in the high-security Lutyens’ Delhi. The accused, who was later arrested, was found to have over two dozen cases of snatching and theft registered against him. In the first six months of 2025, Delhi has recorded around 2,500 snatching cases – averaging around 14 incidents per day.

Corruption: As of August 10 this year, 16 FIRs have been registered and 15 Delhi Police personnel arrested by the Vigilance Branch under the Prevention of Corruption Act. In comparison, only eight such arrests were made last year. The CBI has also caught several police officers red-handed, either for closing genuine cases improperly or for framing individuals in false cases.

Extortion by gangsters operating from abroad: Extortion rackets led by gangsters based overseas remain a serious concern in the Capital. Associates of these gangsters often target businessmen, making threatening calls and demanding protection money – sometimes even firing at their homes or offices. One of the key challenges for Golcha will be to crack down on notorious figures like Rohit Godara, Goldy Brar, Himanshu Bhau, and Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu, who continue to operate from abroad.

Hoax bomb threats & cyber fraud: Hoax bomb threats sent via email have kept the authorities on high alert for the past two years. Several schools have received such hoax threats in the last few months, causing panic and disruption. While a few cases have been traced back to students themselves, the majority of these incidents remain unsolved. Also, almost every day, over 30 cases of cyber cheating and financial fraud are reported in each of the 15 cyber police stations of Delhi, as per police records.

Juvenile involvement in crime: A Delhi Police analysis over the past decade shows a rise in juvenile involvement in serious crimes, including murder, use of firearms, and violent assaults, alongside thefts and burglaries. Police data from 2014 to 2024 reveals a steady increase in the percentage of juveniles involved in murder cases, with only a slight dip noted in 2019 and 2020.