Delhi Gets New Police Commissioner amid Violence

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer SN Shrivastava has been appointed as Delhi Police Commissar from March 1 until further notice to end the violence over the controversial citizenship law in Delhi.

The promotion comes days after the Indian home ministry appointed him a separate commissioner (law and order), transferring him from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Shrivastava will replace Amulya Patnaik, who is scheduled to resign on Saturday.

"My primary concern will be to ensure that people feel secure and rest assured that police are there for them," reported Press Trust of India quoting Shrivastava as saying.

Shrivastava is a member of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre 1985-batch.

Patnaik's tenure, which was extended for a month, ends tomorrow, as the center works to restore peace in areas hit by violence in Northeast Delhi that killed 42 and left hundreds injured.

Residents and political leaders criticized him after the force under him appeared to be ineffective in ending the violence that broke out on Sunday, and continued till now.

"People did not have faith in the Delhi Police during the violence. Even the image of the commissioner of Delhi Police was tarnished. But soon Delhi will have a new police commissioner," National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told NDTV.

Hundreds of people alleged on social media that at many places where clashes between pro and anti Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters broke out, there were minimal to no police presence. Even a day after the violence started, residents at several Northeast Delhi neighborhoods alleged police presence was either negligible or they were yet to arrive.

On Thursday, to review the situation, Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with senior officers of the Delhi Police.

In a tweet, the home ministry said the ban on large gatherings in Northeast Delhi areas – affected by violence – would be lifted for 10 hours on Friday, given the improvement in the situation.

"No major incidents have been reported in the last 36 hours in Northeast [Delhi]," the statement read.

Source: NDTV