Vehicles and CCTVs in place to curb crimes, Delhi High Court told.

Source – indianexpress.com

High-powered Scorpios and Royal Enfields have been deployed in the capital to carry out patrolling in areas prone to crimes against women and street crimes like snatching, the Delhi High Court was told by Delhi Police in an affidavit.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar was also apprised that police have already installed 6,790 CCTV cameras at prominent locations in the capital, especially in areas with high instances of crimes against women.

“The feed of CCTV cameras is being used for continuous surveillance,” Delhi Police said, adding that a proposal under the Safe City project was approved by the Home Ministry in July for installation of 10,000 more CCTVs in high-footfall areas and places with high instances of crimes against women.

The affidavit, filed on behalf of Delhi Police by additional standing counsel Gautam Narayan, stated 68 high-powered Royal Enfield Interceptors of different variants have been deployed for “intensive patrolling/raids to control snatchings”.

“…30 high-powered Scorpio vehicles, christened as “Prakhar Vans” and fitted with modern gadgets/devices, were recently inducted into the fleet of PCR vehicles to exclusively patrol vulnerable areas,” the affidavit added.

Delhi Police’s affidavit was filed in response to a PIL by advocate Prashant Manchanda, who sought directions to issue circulars to all police stations and to book snatchers under stringent IPC sections.

The PIL sought new sections to be added to criminal statutes along the lines of states like Haryana, Maharashtra and Punjab. It also highlighted the need for proper lighting and safety facilities in dark public spaces, including adequate vigil in parks and installation of CCTV cameras.

Manchanda stated that the menace of snatching has spread from certain small pockets to VVIP and VIP areas. “Recent instances of snatching, with the niece of the Prime Minister, wife of the Solicitor General of India and lower court judges, have taken place in posh and secured areas, and that too in broad daylight…,” he told the court.

Police’s affidavit, however, stated that as a result of measures taken, instances of snatching till October 31 are down from 5,727 to 5,307, compared to the corresponding period last year.