Delhi Minister Blames LG for Declining Law and Order After Hospital Incident

Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Sunday, claiming that the capital's law-and-order situation has deteriorated since Saxena assumed office. His remarks followed a shooting incident at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, where a man was killed inside a ward.

In a Hindi post on X, Bharadwaj accused the Delhi Police of being politically manipulated. He stated, "LG sir, after your arrival, the law-and-order situation in Delhi is going from bad to worse in the last two years. The fear of law among criminals has ended. Bullets are being fired inside hospitals in broad daylight."

Crime Rate and Police Understaffing

Bharadwaj highlighted that the Delhi Police is severely understaffed and many officers are occupied with VIP security duties. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Delhi currently has the highest crime rate in India, with 1,832 crimes per 1 lakh population. He noted that only 30 per cent of registered criminal cases are being charge-sheeted.

Referring to NCRB data, Bharadwaj pointed out that Delhi has recorded the highest number of murders among metropolitan cities. "In the latest NCRB data published, Delhi with over 500 murder cases has recorded the highest number of homicides among all metropolitan cities," he said.

Recent Incidents Highlighting Lawlessness

Bharadwaj mentioned several incidents to illustrate his point. He cited a case where an elderly person was brutally killed in Jangpura after assailants entered his house in broad daylight. He also mentioned instances where a lawyer was shot at in front of a court and a killing took place inside Tihar Jail while police personnel watched.

The minister expressed concern over the increasing fearlessness among criminals in Delhi. "Sometimes a killing takes place inside Tihar Jail in front of police and police personnel keep watching. Sometimes a lawyer is shot at in front of a court," he said.

Specific Details of Recent Crimes

On Sunday, a 32-year-old man named Riyazuddin was shot dead by an unidentified assailant inside ward number 24 of GTB Hospital. Riyazuddin had been admitted to the hospital on June 23 for treatment of an abdominal infection and succumbed to his gunshot wound.

Bharadwaj also shared specific details from last year's crime data. Out of 509 murder cases, 440 victims were men (including children) and 91 were women. Among these cases, 16 were related to love affairs and 13 to illicit relationships.

Bharadwaj's comments underscore growing concerns about safety and policing in Delhi. The minister's statements reflect widespread anxiety about rising crime rates and the effectiveness of law enforcement under current leadership.