As Delhi prepared to welcome the New Year, the city police launched a large-scale overnight security operation to prevent street crime and gun violence during the festive period.

Under Operation Aaghat 3.0, teams from the South and South-East districts carried out coordinated raids, searches, and verification drives across vulnerable and sensitive areas of the capital. The operation was aimed at keeping habitual offenders, organised gangs, and street criminals away from public spaces at a time when crowd movement and celebrations usually peak.

Police said that the intensive drive led to the arrest of 285 people under various legal provisions, including the Arms Act, the Excise Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the Gambling Act. In addition to those arrested, 504 suspects were apprehended under preventive measures to ensure that the festive rush did not turn into a law-and-order problem. The police also focused on repeat offenders during the operation, picking up 116 people listed as “bad characters.” Alongside them, 10 property offenders and five vehicle lifters were arrested as part of efforts to curb theft and related crimes ahead of the celebrations.

Recovery of weapons, drugs, liquor, and stolen property

During the raids, police teams recovered a large cache of weapons and illegal items from different locations. Officers seized 21 country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges, and 27 knives, registering multiple cases under the Arms Act. The operation also targeted drug peddling and illegal liquor networks that typically become active during festive seasons. As part of this action, police seized 6.01 kg of ganja and 12,258 quarters of illicit liquor, which officials said were meant to be sold during New Year celebrations.

Action was also taken against gambling activities. Police registered 30 cases under anti-gambling laws, arrested 68 gamblers, and recovered ₹2.36 lakh in cash from them. In a separate enforcement step, over 350 people were arrested for consuming liquor in public places, a violation that police said often leads to disturbances during celebrations.

The crackdown extended to stolen property and vehicle theft networks. Police recovered 310 mobile phones that had been stolen, snatched, or reported lost. Officials said these phones would be returned to their rightful owners after verification. In addition, police seized or recovered 231 two-wheelers and one four-wheeler during road checks and searches in South-East Delhi. Five auto-lifters were also arrested to prevent thefts during the festive period.

Senior police officials said the operation was launched primarily as a preventive and deterrent measure. They explained that the New Year period often sees a rise in street crimes, including theft, gambling, and illegal liquor sales, and that visible police action helps reassure citizens and discourage criminal activity.

Delhi Police Joint Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Jain described the operation as extensive and effective, stating, “I am very happy to say that in the Southern Range’s South and South-East districts, Operation Aaghat was carried out to curb street crime and organised crime. Around 2,850 people were rounded up and questioned, and around 600 offenders were arrested during the operation. Our operation has been very successful.”

Police said that the coordinated action, backed by intelligence inputs, was intended to send a clear message to criminals while allowing residents to celebrate the New Year in a safer environment.