NEW DELHI: Delhi Police’s Southern Range has made significant strides in the first half of 2025, arresting more than 4,000 alleged criminals and seizing more than 600 firearms as part of its ongoing battle against crime, an officer said on Thursday.
“The campaign, titled Crackdown-2025, was initiated in January this year across the South and Southeast districts of the capital,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) SK Jain.
The Southern Range executed four major operations, Garuda, Vajra, Shastra, and Nischay, resulting in a drastic reduction in street crime and a major dent in illegal activities, the officer added.
Between January 1 and June 30, 4,300 arrests were made across the Southern Range, along with the recovery of 609 stolen mobile phones, 23 pistols, 149 country-made firearms, 241 live cartridges, and 250 knives. Police also seized over 262 kg of ganja, 6.6 kg of charas, 1.3 kg of smack, and synthetic drugs like methaqualone. In addition, illicit cash worth over Rs 1 crore was recovered, along with stolen gold, diamonds, and household items. Police said that under Operation Garuda, 421 foreign nationals, comprising 336 Bangladeshi and 85 African-origin people, were deported.
This operation focused on identifying foreign nationals who had crossed the Indian border illegally or were involved in criminal activities.
Operation Vajra, aimed at curbing street crime, led to the arrest of 430 individuals in robbery and snatching cases. Similarly, Operation Shastra focused on weapon trafficking, resulting in 455 arrests and significant seizures, including pistols, firearms, and knives.
The Southern Range’s crackdown on narcotics under Operation Nischay also made considerable progress, with 170 drug traffickers arrested and 129 cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Police also seized illicit liquor, including over 2.13 lakh illicit liquor quarters, 2,107 beer bottles, and Rs 4.2 lakh in cash proceeds during the six months of the operation.
The Joint Commissioner of Police said, “Through focused operations, we have shown zero tolerance to crime. These efforts reflect our firm commitment to protecting law-abiding citizens and dismantling criminal networks.”
The police also reported a marked decrease in crime rates compared to the same period last year. “Compared to the first half of 2024, many crimes saw a dip,” the officer said.
Attempted murders dropped by 45%, robberies fell by 28%, snatching cases decreased by 26%, and motor vehicle thefts were down by 133 cases, Joint CP Jain said.