Delhi gets a new police chief

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer SN Srivastava has been given additional charge as the chief of the Delhi Police. He will replace Amulya Patnaik, who retires tomorrow.

The decision comes as the Delhi Police is seen to be struggling with a leadership crisis. Srivastava was relieved by the Central Reserve Police Force so that he could take charge of the new post. Patnaik came in for strong criticism from local residents and political leaders as the force under him was seen as ineffective in ending the violence over the last few days.

Srivastava has experience of working in different units in Delhi Police over the years including Special Cell and leading investigations against Indian Mujahideen apart from successful tenure in the traffic police and several districts.

People did not believe intentions of Delhi Police during the violence. Even the image of Commissioner of Delhi Police was not very good for whatever reasons. But soon Delhi will have a new Police Commissioner. – Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor

Thirty-nine people have been killed in the violence that broke out last Sunday. No major incident has been reported in the last 36 hours in northeast Delhi which is the region affected. “People should “not believe in rumours and fall prey to evil designs of miscreants and groups interested in precipitating communal tension”, said the Home Ministry in a statement. The Delhi Police has started holding peace meetings to “improve inter-community harmony”, said the ministry. “Such peace committee meetings would continue till situation normalises. So far, nearly 330 meetings have been organised”.

Watch in Sign Language