‘People being forced to hire private guards because no police on ground’: Arvind Kejriwal asks L-G to act on Delhi’s law and order

Arvind Kejriwal has been saying the national capital would be a safer city if law and order came under the Delhi government instead of the Centre through the L-G.

The need of the hour, CM Arvind Kejriwal said, was to ensure effective police patrolling (Express File Photo)

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday asked L-G V K Saxena to take immediate steps with regard to policing in the capital in the wake of what he alleged was an alarming spurt in crime with four murders in just over 24 hours.

Kejriwal alleged that citizens were feeling unsafe and left with no alternative but to hire private security guards because police presence was visibly missing on the ground. Kejriwal has been saying the national capital would be a safer city if law and order came under the Delhi government instead of the Centre through the L-G.

“It is high time that those entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of lives of residents of Delhi should not be seen as failing time and again in their mandatory duty,” Kejriwal wrote, adding that he was willing to provide all possible cooperation in this regard including” a meaningful discussion” with the L-G along with his cabinet colleagues over the issue.

My letter to Hon’ble LG on deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/2gvbZvN7zZ

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 20, 2023

Kejriwal expressed surprise that National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) records which posited that of the total crimes against women that took place in 19 metropolitan cities, Delhi alone accounted for 32.20 per cent of the total, had not served as an eye-opener in regards to the situation both for the the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the L-G.

“Due to lack of Delhi Police personnel in the field… residents are being forced to engage private guards in large numbers…for the safety of their lives and properties,” Kejriwal alleged.

“Given such alarming figures, urgent preventive steps on crimes against women were required, but unfortunately, for the reasons best known to the MHA and your good self, nothing changed on the ground,” he said.

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The need of the hour, the chief minister said, was to ensure effective police patrolling, particularly during night hours, and urgent engagement with the residents of Delhi on how to improve law and order.

“Police officers may be directed to hold joint meetings with elected MLAs, councillors and RWAs to suggest better ways of reduction in crimes in the national capital,” he said, making a case for the revival of Thana-level committees that existed till 2013.