TALK TIME dcp (central), delhi | jaspal singh

http://www.gfilesindia.com TALK TIME dcp (central), delhi | jaspal singh ‘Community alertness is very important in tackling terrorism’A 1996-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre, DCP Jaspal Singh heads the law and order machinery of Central District – one of the most important and communally sensitive districts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. In the first part of a gfiles focus on the law-enforcers of Delhi, he details security measures and community participation initiatives and emphasizes the importance of public cooperation in maintaining law and order. He was earlier DCP, North East District of Delhi. Posted as SP, Nicobar, three days after the tsunami struck in 2004, Jaspal Singh was commended by the Lt Governor, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, for his contribution to the rescue and rehabilitation effort. Interviewed by KALLOL DEY gfiles : How difficult is the task of the DCP, Central District, of the National Capital Region? Jaspal Singh : Law and order is in control but we can’t be lax for even a moment. The job demands constant vigilance and judicious mobilization of personnel. One of the main engagements of the Central District Police force is escorting VVIPs and VIPs, especially with round-the-year visits to the Gandhi Samadhi. The district has major religious monuments like the Jama Masjid and the Laxmi Narayan temple. As it has a mixed population, every religious festival is celebrated in a big way. Ensuring security during the celebrations is one of the biggest challenges. Then we have Chauri Bazaar and Ajauri, the two major transit areas for people passing through Delhi, which need constant monitoring. Central District also has the most number of guesthouses and hotels which have to be checked regularly. gfiles : What is the mechanism to monitor the transit population, especially with mushrooming of hotels and guesthouses? JS : It is impossible to monitor the transit population completely. Both the railway stations – Old and New Delhi – are located in this district. It has been made legally mandatory for hotels and guesthouses to photograph customers, maintain proper records and instal CCTV cameras. The police regularly crosschecks the records. gfiles : How are the markets monitored? JS : I ensure a beat system. However, public initiatives like installation of CCTV are making our task easier. The business communities of Gafar Market and Paharganj Market have already installed CCTV and it is being done in the Karol Bagh Market. ECIL is installing CCTV for Delhi Police. The cooperation of the Resident Welfare Associations and Market Associations helps us ensure vigilance. gfiles : With a flourishing business community in the district, there must be many cases of extortion…. JS : No. Contrary to this perception, there are very few cases of extortion and we have ensured that there are no professional extortion gangs. gfiles : What are the most frequent crimes in Central District? JS : Two kinds of crime are common. One is vehicle theft. Patel Nagar, DBG Road and Ranjit Nagar are primarily affected. We have brought down the rate of vehicle thefts but cars kept in unsecured areas and the proximity of the Delhi border make things difficult for us. And, while people are ready to spend huge amounts on buying cars, they are stingy when it comes to installing high end gadgets which would discourage thefts. The other common crime is robbery. Rajinder Nagar is most affected. gfiles : Central District is dotted with mosques, gurudwaras and temples. Is the police adequately prepared for crowd control and to check incidents which could spark communal tension? JS : We have crowd control equipment and special lights. CCTV cameras are installed during any big gathering like Ramlila. The Quick Reaction Team is always at hand to douse any volatile situation. The police also gets assistance from Nagarik Suraksha Samitis [Citizens’ Protection Committees] who work zealously during every religious festival. Eid, Holi or Diwali – every religious festival is celebrated with gusto. ‘The Quick Reaction Team is always at hand to do use any volatile situation. The police also getsassistance from Nagarik Suraksha Samitis.’ Two extra companies are deployed every Friday during namaaz prayers at the Jama Masjid. There are hardly any incidents. I have always believed that with a little effort it is possible to maintain communal harmony. People basically want to live in peace. There isn’t much communal tension between the religious communities, it is the troublemakers who intentionally try to disturb peace. gfiles : Is there any threat perception or frequent incidence of crime in the area around the Jama Masjid? JS : In Delhi, incidence of crime is the least in the Jama Masjid area. A majori ty of the population has been resident there for very long and the mohallah culture still exists. There is no precedence of terrorists being sheltered in the area. Moreover, I have faith in the minorities. [Jaspal Singh spoke before the shooting of Taiwanese journalists.] gfiles : What measures have you taken to face the terrorism threat? JS : Terrorism continues to be the biggest challenge in the whole of the country. But other agencies are working on it too. We conduct regular patrolling, tenant verification, and sensitization drives with property dealers, motor mechanics and second-hand car dealers, cyber cafes and PCOs, guesthouse and hotel owners. And they coordinate with us by informing us about anything unusual I have been stressing community policing initiatives and the involvement of stakeholders like businessmen. The Eyes & Ears scheme of Delhi Police, in which the common man on the road acts as the eyes and ears of the police, is paying dividends. Many cases have been solved and people rewarded for their assistance. The success of the scheme in the past two years has prompted the MHA to suggest other States implement it too. The participation and alertness of the community is very important in tackling the terrorism threat. Stakeholders need to share the responsibility and the people have to share information with the public authority if they want to be safe. The community involvement in Central District is encouraging. It is helping us a lot. We also get rehriwallahs, chowkidars, patriwallahs, guards, landlords and members of Residents Welfare Associations and Market Associations involved through regular interaction.