JNU violence, riots, COVID-related duty kept Delhi Police busy in 2020

 From drawing criticism for its probe into JNU violence case to handling February riots, Delhi Police h ar challenge, which was to ensure enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines and lockdown in national capital while protecting its own personnel from infection. year 2020 kept force on its toes - starting from January, when violence broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University as masked miscreants armed with sticks attacked students and teachers and damd property on campus.

arrest has been me so far by Crime Branch team of Delhi Police which is probing JNU violence case. riots in rastern parts of Delhi claimed 53 lives and left over 400 people injured.

force also lost one of its own men - He Constable Ratan Lal (42), after he sustained an injury during stone pelting at Gokalpuri.And soon after city faced riots, Delhi Police force got its new chief -- S N Shrivastava who soon after taking charge said his priority was to restore peace and ensure communal harmony in national capital.

w setting his vision for 2021, Shrivastava told PTI that focus would be to expand Delhi Police's social media presence to t only dress public grievances but also to display a positive im of force and to tackle negative narratives that are being put out.

He said top priority will be to ensure faster response to public grievances and look after welfare of his personnel.

"Improving response to public complaint will be my priority area. Doing it well and doing it in a shorter time. All se, I will t be able to achieve without active help and cooperation of our team - Delhi Police, so I need to look after ir welfare also. And be with m in thick of things," he said.

And w as its personnel are deployed at Delhi border points, where thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping amid cold wave conditions against new farm laws, police commissioner said that although large number of protesters are re but apart from blocking way, re is thing on law and order front. So, things are manable.

We are ensuring that or routes are clear for essential supplies and movement of people. This is it and we hope that we reach a happy te on this also, he said.

Encapsulating rast Delhi riots, Shrivastava said that once riots were over and things were contained, y encourd people to come forward and register ir complaints.

"That's why 755 FIRs were registered... y were investigated and special investigation teams were formed," he said.

He pointed out that of 755 cases registered in connection with rast Delhi riots, charge sheets have been filed in 395 cases till date. Around 1,696 people have been arrested. police, however, have been criticised for ir handling of investigation in various quarters.

Talking about entire investigation, police chief asserted that investigation has been done well and that teams have been able to unearth conspiracy angle.Criticism comes when we do our job well because those who were affected by our investigation, naturally we never expected m to appreciate it. y will definitely question our investigation.

"It is for court to decide how cases were investigated and wher investigation is on right line or t is for court to say," he reiterated.

Amid pandemic, Delhi Police personnel were out on streets during lockdown -- ensuring people stayed indoors. y facilitated movement of essential supplies, reached out to scores of migrant labourers and needy with food, masks and sanitisers.From creating awareness -- to safeguarding citizens from spre of COVID-19, issuing movement passes, setting up helpline numbers, reaching out to senior citizens, to reaching out to those in need of ration. In fact, PCR vans acted as ambulance - for expecting women who were rushed to hospitals.

This way, Delhi Police personnel turned out to be "corona warriors", building its im as "Dil ki Police", even as force lost its own personnel to pandemic amid line of ir duty while serving society.According to police, 32 of its personnel have died so far due to COVID-19. Out of total 7,500 personnel infected with virus, 7,250 have recovered while 250 ors are still under treatment.

During pandemic, a major terror strike was also averted with arrest of an alleged ISIS operative Mohamm Mustakim Khan from Uttar Presh in August after a brief exchange of fire on section of Ridge Ro between Dhaula Kuan and Karol Bagh.As unlocking began in a phased manner, Delhi Police since June 15 has issued over 5,12,060 challans for mask violation, more than 3,409 challans for spitting, over 38,147 challans for violating social distancing.

Lauding efforts of his force, Shrivastava said, "Delhi Police remained firm but at same time we were sympatic which is what was required. Lockdown h to be implemented so for that firmness was required but we knew that this lockdown was because of an epidemic, so people h to be kept indoors to contain spre of corona."

With COVID-19, video conferencing for meetings, investigations, interrogation, donning PPE kits during raids, mandatory COVID tests on accused, exercising caution while picking fingerprints, regular sanitization of hands, became new rmal for police personnel as y stepped out for investigation.

From sending warrants and summons through WhatsApp, techlogy played a vital role in effective communication for force.

Emphasising on techlogy, Shrivastava said, "Video conferencing and online dairies were necessitated due to COVID but e-beat book, Integrated Complaint Manment System, use of CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems) for online submission of case dairies and charge sheets were due to professional considerations." 

(IM CREDITS:PTI)