With days left for the elections, Delhi police on Monday said they have beefed up security, with more than 200 companies of paramilitary forces and over 30,000 police personnel being deployed across the national capital, police officers said.
While addressing a press conference, Special Commissioners of Police (law and order) Madhup Tewari (zone-II) and Ravindra Yadav (zone-I) outlined the preparations for the February 5 polls.
They said the pre-poll arrangements have already been made, adding that there have been record seizure of drugs and liquor, along with regular cash seizures. “Nearly 3,000 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, and special security arrangements, including drone surveillance, will be deployed at some of these locations,” police said.
For sensitive booths, additional police forces will be deployed, and Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) will be stationed to maintain law and order, said Mr. Yadav. In January, Delhi police held an inter-State coordination meeting with various law enforcement agencies to discuss security arrangements.
The meeting, chaired by Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, was attended by senior police officers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
“Police have deployed over 200 paramilitary companies that are already in Delhi, and more than 30,000 Delhi police personnel will ensure a peaceful election in the national capital. With only 48 hours left until polling day, all stakeholders will ensure robust security arrangements,” Mr. Yadav said.
As Delhi shares borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, police have sealed more than 65 motorable border points, and heavy security will be stationed, officers stated.
Decline in crime
They claimed there was a decline in crime in January due to the continuous presence of police personnel. “The crime rate in the national capital witnessed a decline in several categories in January 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 and 2023. The number of attempted murder cases in January 2025 stood at 50, down from 71 in 2024 and 59 in 2023. Robbery cases also dropped to 103 in 2025, compared to 146 in 2024 and 111 in 2023. Similarly, snatching incidents fell to 369 in 2025 from 623 in 2024 and 558 in 2023,” they said.
Meanwhile, cases of rape and violations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in January 2025 stood at 101, lower than the 134 cases in 2024 and 140 in 2023,” Mr. Yadav said.
He added that molestation cases also declined, with 110 cases reported in 2025 compared to 135 in 2024 and 163 in 2023. Eve-teasing incidents dropped to 16 cases in 2025 from 24 in 2024 and 37 in 2023.
Burglary cases in January 2025 stood at 566, a slight reduction from 619 in 2024. The number was also 619 in 2023. Cases of abduction decreased to 9 in January 2025, compared to 18 cases in both 2024 and 2023. Fatal road accidents also showed a slight decrease, with 87 cases in 2025 compared to 93 in 2024 and 94 in 2023.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tewari said that over 1,000 cases of alleged violations of the model code of conduct (MCC) have been registered ahead of the Assembly elections. The cases were lodged between January 7 and February 2.
33,434 arrested
Police have arrested and detained over 33,434 people under various legal provisions, including the Excise Act, during this period.
The Delhi police have recorded 1,049 cases of alleged MCC violations and confiscated 462 illegal firearms and 510 cartridges, arresting 482 people under the Arms Act. Additionally, law enforcement agencies have seized 1,08,258 litres of liquor and arrested 1,353 people, along with confiscating 196.602 kg of drugs worth over ₹77.9 crore, Mr. Tewari said.
More than 1,200 banned injections have been seized, with 177 people arrested so far, the police added. Authorities have confiscated ₹11.23 crore in cash and 37.39 kg of silver. The figures are significantly higher compared to the 2020 Assembly polls, police said.
Published – February 04, 2025 01:55 am IST