Special Cell, Crime Branch mapping cases of personal enmity that can lead to bloodshed: Patnaik

With a recent spate of shooting incidents raising concern over law and order situation, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has said two specialised units of the force are analysing cases of personal enmity that can lead to killings and attacks to develop a strategy to arrest such crimes.

"This is an area of concern and we are now working on (developing) a strategy," Patnaik told PTI. The Special Cell and the Crime Branch are on the job.

Last week, four incidents of shooting were reported within a span of 24 hours, in which five people were killed. Earlier, gun-wielding youths opened indiscriminate fire on a busy road in Dwarka Mor, triggering panic.

Last week's killings prompted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to urge Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and the Home Ministry to look into the law and order situation in the national capital.

Delhi Police comes under the Union Home Ministry.

Even though some of these incidents have been labelled as a fallout of gang rivalries, the police chief felt otherwise.

"The term 'gang' is used little loosely and the persons involved may not actually be part of gangs. Maybe they are settling personal enmity with each other for which they are using maybe firearms...this is an area of concern," he said.

He said the Deputy Commissioners of Police have been asked to work on a strategy to identify and analyse the cases where there is a probability of such enmity developing into a serious dispute.

"This would mean seeing that if a particular crime has taken place, who are the people involved in that, whether they themselves are ready to take it further.

"We have also asked our specialised units such as Crime Branch and Special Cell to work on these areas where you know serious types of enmity and dispute are there which may actually have the potential to lead to the formation of a criminal group," he said.

He said the specialised units are also working on catching hardened criminals.

There have been instances where gangs have targeted family members of their rival gang members. The top cop said the police provides security to family members if there is a threat.

"As far as family is concerned, as and when we have an apprehension or there is any complaint from them, we have a system of a quick threat assessment which is carried out. In appropriate cases we do give them security as well.

"Like if you realise, we had provided security to (gangster) Monu Dariyapur's wife after he was killed by Sonu Dariyapur since she was facing threats," he said.