Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday said the recent Kanjhawla hit-and-drag incident and the Shraddha Walkar murder case exhibit a "glaring lacuna" in policing at the field level and urged the deputy commissioners of police to rectify it.
Addressing the DCPs' conference at the Delhi police headquarters in New Delhi, the LG also flagged a host of issues, including corruption, high-handedness of police and investigation loopholes.
He urged the force to "ensure proactive pre-emptive measures to ensure safety and security at all levels" in view of the forthcoming G-20 Summit.
The Delhi police had received a lot of flak over the Kanjhawla incident in which 20-year-old Anjali Singh was killed in the early hours on January 1 after her scooter was hit by a car which dragged her for 12 kilometres.
So far, seven people have been arrested in the case. Eleven police personnel, who were on PCR and picket duty on the route were also suspended.
He also cited the National Crime Records Bureau data and said it shows that Delhi stands at third place in terms of cases of violent crime per lakh population.
It is second across the country in terms of crime against women, "despite the fact that we have police strength of about 81,000 available in Delhi", he noted.
"The recent incident of a girl being murdered and chopped into multiple pieces and thrown across Delhi that came to light months after commission of the crime. That a girl being hit and then dragged by a car, on New Year's eve when police patrolling and check points are supposed to be strengthened multifold," said the L-G.
"Death of ASI Shambhu Dayal Meena while preventing an incident of chain snatching and open firing at a traffic intersection during evening rush hours resulting in death of two innocent persons, among others, somehow exhibit glaring lacuna in policing at the field level and the DCPs need to look into it with the aim of rectifying the same with immediate effect," Saxena said.
Saxena also stressed that the most effective bulwark against crime is visible policing, and advised the personnel to be present on the roads and the streets on a 24x7x365 basis.
"While this helps prevent crime by deterring criminals on one hand, it also helps generate confidence among people and ensures their proactive participation in law enforcement.
"I must say that any laxity in this regard proves to be catastrophic as the recent unfortunate incident in Kanjhawala showed, and will not be tolerated," he added.
Giving a reality check to the officials, he said "our police administration, especially at the district level, is tainted, more than any other arm of civil administration".
"The taint of corruption colours the personnel of police administration like none other. I would also like to emphasise that this malice can and should be handled by leaders at all levels, more so in the districts," he said.
The LG also flagged loopholes that lead to undue acquittals, charge sheets that lack merit and are insufficient as well as investigations that stretch for years together, saying they were a cause of great concern.
"They not only weaken public confidence in the police but also pose a challenge to the very dictum of rule of law," he said.
He said complaints like "investigation is not happening, policemen have colluded with the other party, police did not reach the spot' are not always 'unfound and they need to go".
The L-G also said responsiveness and agility in terms of attending to a citizen who approaches the police should be one of the prime concerns.
"A complainant already under duress and strain deserves to be handled with sensitivity. High handedness, that is often complained about as far as the police is concerned, has to go...," he said.
"A plethora of applications I see where even for cognizable offences, FIR is delayed or not registered in many cases. This practice must end and DCPs have a major role to play in bringing about this change," he said.
He also emphasised on traditional policing, stressing that merely adding CCTV cameras, bringing in state-of-art technology and dependency on e-solutions will not help in improving the law and order situation and ensuring safety.
"I would like to see DCPs and SHOs visibly patrolling their areas, interacting with RWAs, MTAs, senior citizens, youth and other vulnerable segments," he said.
