Amit Shah holds security review meeting with Delhi Police, CM in attendance in a first

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited the Delhi Police headquarters to review the law-and-order situation in the national capital with discussions focused on protests against the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), preparations for the upcoming Congress rally against

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 and measures to tackle crime, said officers.

The meeting was held at Vimarsh Hall at the Delhi Police headquarters and was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, marking a notable development in the format of such review meetings, said sources.

The participation of the Chief Minister made the Delhi government join alongside senior police officers on matters concerning law and order in the Capital, sources added.

Shah arrived at the Delhi Police headquarters around 3 pm, and the meeting was said to have continued for around three hours before he left at 6 pm.The visit on Saturday marked Shah's return to the Delhi Police headquarters after more than four years. Shah had last visited the headquarters on August 30, 2022.

Since then, he has participated in Delhi Police events, including the force's Raising Day celebrations, held outside the headquarters.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner of Police Anurag Kumar, Special Commissioners of Police, Joint Commissioners of Police overseeing various ranges, senior members of the Public Relations Office (PRO) department and Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) from various districts of Delhi, according to officers.

During the meeting, senior police officers briefed the Home Minister on the prevailing law-and-order situation and discussed arrangements for managing protests that have been taking place in the Capital.

Senior police officers were also said to have discussed security and crowd-management arrangements in view of the upcoming Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan, which is expected to draw a large number of crowds.

Handling of demonstrations and ensuring that adequate arrangements are in place to manage public gatherings were among the key talking points at the meeting, sources underlined.

The focus was on maintaining vigilance and ensuring that protests and rallies are handled in a manner that prevents any untoward incident.

Crime statistics discussed

Delhi Police officers also presented detailed crime statistics in the Capital over the last five years. The presentation covered crime trends under various categories, including crimes against women and other offences, providing an overview of the patterns of crime and the challenges confronting the police force.

The presentation formed part of the broader review of the law-and-order situation, with senior officers placing before the Home Minister figures relating to crime under different heads.

The review was aimed at assessing the situation on the ground and examining the police response to various categories of offences.

One of the key areas of emphasis during the meeting was the issue of drugs and narcotics. Shah has repeatedly stressed the need to combat drug trafficking and strengthen anti-narcotics efforts.

The issue has remained among the key priorities of the Union Home Minister, who has called for sustained action against the drug menace.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of strengthening enforcement and maintaining coordination among police units to address challenges relating to public safety and crime prevention.

The review comes amid heightened attention on the management of protests and public gatherings in Delhi, with several such matters having been taken up legally.