Delhi Police report over 40 shootouts in 1st half of 2021
New Delhi: Even amid the brutal second wave of the pandemic, there were over 40 incidents of exchange of fire between police and criminals in different parts of the National Capital. Police said the action was taken after these criminals did not follow the order to surrender and they started firing on them.
Data accessed by Millennium Post revealed that from January to July 12, more than 50 people were arrested who were having more than 300 criminal involvements ranging from heinous to street crime including snatching. More than 40 people were shot in their legs during these incidents. In March, gangster Kuldeep Maan was killed in an encounter by the Delhi Police Special Cell at Rohini's Tulsi Apartments. In another case, reported in March, another gangster Ravi was killed during an exchange of fire between police and criminals at the GTB hospital.
Special Cell, the elite unit of Delhi Police, were involved in more than 20 such cases. Whereas districts like Shahdara, Outer, Outer North, Dwarka, North East were also involved in encounters, in two such cases crime branch and one case, the third battalion was also involved.
In most of the cases, it was found that at midnight or early morning these incidents took place. In June-July, more than 15 such incidents were reported and over 140 rounds were fired by both criminals and police since January. "In several cases, bullets hit policemen's protective jackets," data shows.
These encounters were reported from close to bordering areas, South Delhi, Dwarka district, Eastern part of the city. In some cases, the Delhi Police also conducted their operations in Uttar Pradesh.
Delhi Police data showed that even during the second wave, crime increased in the city. The most recent data showed that compared to 2020, snatchings had increased by 56.2 per cent and burglaries by 39.8 per cent and house thefts by 7 per cent. It was also revealed that rapes had seen a 43.6 per cent rise in the city and cases of molestation of women had risen by 39 per cent.
According to Delhi Police, to arrest the graph of street crimes, they are on their toes to check bikers at key points, including crime hotspots and a special cell has specifically been tasked to tackle gun-wielding criminals committing street crimes.
One senior official, requesting anonymity, told Millennium Post that a thorough risk assessment is conducted before apprehending any suspect. "In such a situation, we always tell a criminal to surrender," the official said, adding that while some surrender, others start firing.
