Barricades in middle of Safdarjung Enclave colony raise several questions

Delhi police might have failed in providing police protection to a common man and in bringing down the crime rate in the city, but Millennium Post surprisingly found a special barricading made inside a posh colony in south Delhi allegedly to give protection to a liquor tycoon. 

Incidentally or purposely, a businessman, who has more than 45 liquor shops in the national capital and lives in Safdarjung Enclave Block-B, is reportedly being provided police protection. Ashok Jain, popularly known as ‘Enclave ka Raja’ had shifted to the colony in mid-2011 and since then the Delhi police barricades that used to be present on the main road also shifted inside the colony.

Generally the barricades are put on the main roads outside colonies, but in this case the trend has been changed by putting the barricades right in the middle of the colony. Not only this, a police officer posted in Safdarjung Enclave police station has been deployed to keep a check on people’s movement in the area. The police officer was found sitting with a rifle in the colony near the barricades. Surprisingly, when a cop is deployed at such points they usually don’t carry rifles, but a service revolver.

Senior police officers remained silent when asked on the allegations of providing protection to the businessman. However, a police official requesting anonymity said, ‘Usually the locals come and complain to us that they are not feeling safe in that particular area so we had to make a small picket near that area. The arrangement has not been made to facilitate anyone but due to the strategic location of the point where the barricades have been put.’ 

Sources in the area, however, claimed that the businessman has strong political connections and that is why protection has been provided to him by building the barricades.