NEW DELHI: The year saw an unprecedented rise in bomb threats, starting with alarming emails targeting schools, hospitals, and even airlines in May.
By December, over 100 schools had been paralysed by anonymous hoaxes, leaving parents, students, and authorities in perpetual anxiety.
In October alone, over 300 flights, including those on international routes, of Indian airlines were affected by a series of bomb threats, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
To compound the chaos, two unexplained explosions in Rohini’s Prashant Vihar in October and November intensified fears.
As if this was not enough, gang rivalries spilled blood onto Delhi’s streets, with several targeted killings marking the year.
Former CM Arvind Kejriwal controversially dubbed Delhi the “gangster capital.” High-profile gangs, including the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar faction, orchestrated extortion calls and brazen shootings outside business establishments.
Notably, a gruesome murder caught on CCTV in a restaurant in west Delhi on June 18 highlighted the audacity of gang operations. Similarly, the murder of a gym owner in Greater Kailash on September 14 underscored the lethal turf wars plaguing the city.
Even amidst the violence, there were bizarre moments, such as gangsters Kala Jathedi and Yogesh Dahiya a.k.a Tunda, involved in the murder of gangster Sunil Maan alias Tillu Tajpuria in May 2023 inside Tihar Jail, tying the knot under police surveillance, showcasing the surreal intersection of crime and personal milestones. Bishnoi’s associate Jathedi tied the knot with lady don Anuradha Choudhary alias ‘Revolver Rani’ under police watch following a court direction on March 12.
Cops under fire
The Delhi Police faced criticism for its own lapses. A March 8 video showing a sub-inspector assaulting people offering namaz triggered outrage and disciplinary action. The Delhi High Court also transferred the investigation into the tragic deaths of three civil service aspirants in a flooded basement to the CBI, citing dissatisfaction with the local probe.
In May, a fire in an unauthorised hospital claimed the lives of seven toddlers, prompting crackdowns on illegal medical establishments.
Tragic losses
The murder of two young constables—Sandeep in September and Kiranpal in November—sent shockwaves through the force. Despite quick arrests of the assailants, the incidents highlighted the dangerous environment officers endure.
Further distressing were high-profile familial tragedies, including a suspected suicide pact in Vasant Kunj and a brutal triple murder in Neb Sarai, leaving the city reeling.