4,300 ‘Praharis’ briefed as nat’l Capital steps up Independence Day vigil

NEW DELHI: In a major push to bolster public safety during the festive season, the Delhi Police has rolled out a citywide initiative under its Prahari programme, enlisting private security guards as key partners in maintaining law and order.

On Sunday, interaction-cum-briefing sessions were held across all police districts to enhance the preparedness of these “force multipliers” ahead of Independence Day celebrations. The sessions covered security protocols, situational awareness, and rapid threat response. Participants were given clear operational guidelines and issued security kits containing caps, reflective jackets, batons, and whistles to strengthen readiness.

CP Singh, led two flagship events — one at the Multipurpose Hall, North Campus, University of Delhi, attended by around 800 Praharis, and another at the Lotus Temple auditorium in South-East Delhi, drawing about 300.

Addressing the gatherings, Singh commended the vital role of private security guards in community policing, urging them to remain vigilant and proactive. “Your cooperation extends the reach, responsiveness, and effectiveness of the law,” he said, emphasising that alertness can avert potential security incidents.

Senior police officials, including Spl. CP (Law & Order Zone-I) Ravindra Singh Yadav, Jt. CP Central Range Madhur Verma, DCP North Raja Banthia, and DCP Central Nidhin Valsan, attended the North Campus event. At the Lotus Temple, Spl. CP (Law & Order Zone-II) Madhup Tewari, Jt. CP Southern Range S.K. Jain, and DCP South East Hemant Tiwari were present.

During the interactive sessions, Praharis were advised to conduct polite yet firm frisking where required, maintain constant vigilance of their surroundings, report suspicious activity immediately, treat unattended items as potential threats, and assist police in crowd management.

In total, 4,317 Praharis took part in the briefings citywide. The highest attendance was recorded in the North and Central districts (400 each), followed by Outer North (383), Dwarka (362), and South (305).